An Epic Celebration of Fried Chicken Is Coming to New Orleans This Week
More than 50 local restaurants, performances by Big Freedia and other iconic artists, and more.
Is there any dish quite as unifying as fried chicken? It’s the ultimate comfort food that spans cultures and palates, along with techniques and styles—not to mention it’s just downright delicious.
Locals celebrate the dish year-round as part of our iconic culinary scene, but all that goodness will be on special display at this year's sixth annual National Fried Chicken Festival in New Orleans from September 30 to October 1 along the New Orleans Lakefront.
The National Fried Chicken Festival is bringing it this year. More than 50 restaurants will showcase their specialties, including new and returning local favorites like Southerners, Sun Chong, Morrow’s, and Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken. Attendees with dietary restrictions aren’t left out of the fun either, so look out for Bluu Herbs vegan chicken sandwich, vegan wings from Soule’ Cafe, tofu options at Ponko Chicken, and myriad dietary restriction-friendly options from Pick Your Side Chicks.
It wouldn’t be a proper celebration in the Big Easy without live music, so Big Freedia, Flow Tribe, Brass a Holics + Allie Baby, and Khris Royal kick off the festivities on Saturday. On Sunday, The Soul Rebels, Parish County Line, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Shamarr Allen, and more will keep people on their feet. And in honor of hip hop’s 50th birthday, the festival closes out this special weekend with Mannie Fresh, Raj Smoove, Choppa, and DJ Jubilee to name a few.
The festival will also include a marketplace with more than 20 vendors hawking unique local products throughout the festival. And following last year’s successful debut, the Car Corral is back bigger and bolder, showcasing more than 100 of the hottest cars, trucks, and bikes. If that isn’t enough to fill your body and soul, there are opportunities to fill your mind as well by attending chef demos and conversations at the Food Is Culture tent.
Tickets are available online and start at $15 for one-day admission and stretch to $120 for access to the VIP experience area that pairs fried chicken with bubbly. For more information on what the weekend is all about check out the official website. If you’re making a weekend of it, we’ve got you covered with some of the best places to stay.