Bayou Boogaloo Returns to Mid-City This May
Photo courtesy of Bayou Boogaloo
One of the standouts in the seemingly never-ending string of festivals New Orleans hosts all year round is the Bayou Boogaloo, which grew from the post-Katrina scrappy little neighborhood festival to a weekend-long extravaganza.
Since its inception in 2006, Bayou Boogaloo now draws upwards of 35,000 people and has become as much a fixture on the festival calendar as its Mid-City neighbor, Jazz Fest, and the city’s street-party season opener, French Quarter Fest.
Also a favorite of both the locals and the in-the-know visitors, this festival takes place not in the French Quarter but on the sprawling, picturesque banks of Bayou St. John — between Dumaine Streets and Lafitte Avenue in the Mid-City neighborhood. Its bucolic setting as a floating party, with its flotillas of inflatables, paddle boats, and kayaks, gives the three-day festival its own unique character.
Bayou Boogaloo 2025
This year, Bayou Boogaloo takes place between Friday, May 16, and Sunday, May 18, 2025. Just like in previous years, the festival is kid-friendly. Traditionally, the Boogaloo focused on mostly local music, including the best of the brass bands, zydeco, Mardi Gras Indians, and other incredible New Orleans and Louisiana acts.
This year’s headliners include Big Freedia’s Gospel Revival, Leo Nocentelli and 420 Funk Mob, featuring members of Parliament Funkadelic. A couple of tribute shows feature Alexis Marceaux singing songs by Alanis Morissette and the Honey Island Swamp Band’s Dark Side of the Bayou show featuring music by Pink Floyd.
The lineup also includes LSD Clownsystem, rap collective glbl wrmng, Crowe Boys, Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph, Desert Nudes, Billy Iuso, Bo Dollis Jr. & the Wild Magnolias, and more.
In addition to two stages, the Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo features a curated art market, a Kid’s Cultural Pavilion, a VIP Crescent 9 Canopy Club, a crawfish eating contest, and food from numerous Mid-City and local vendors. The main stage will feature music while the second stage, Variety Stage, will have lots of comedy acts and burlesque.
The food and beverage vendor list is as varied as in previous years and includes Ajun Cajun, Empanola, Bub’s NOLA, Clesi’s, Fritai, T-Swirl Crepe, and more. Look for snowball and lemonade booths, and plenty of booths with adult beverages from neighborhood favorite Pal’s, local breweries, and others.
How Much Does It Cost?
An early bird weekend pass is $24.50 (sold out). Festival-goers don’t have to choose between land and water tickets, it’s $39.50 for a weekend pass either way, with re-entry allowed. As always, kids 12 and under are granted free admission.
Additionally, three-day Crescent 9 Canopy Club VIP passes are available for $229.00. These passes also allow re-entry plus access to the Crescent 9 Canopy Club VIP area, which is a shaded oasis next to the stage with front stage access, an elevated viewing deck, private restrooms with AC, and a selection of complimentary beverages and local eats.
What Else Do You Need to Know?
Street parking in the neighborhood is limited, so biking is encouraged (there’s plenty of bike parking at the fest). Thanks to the city’s added bike routes, including Lafitte Greenway, you can ride your bicycle all the way to the festival from virtually every corner of the city.
Alternatively, you can come by canoe, kayak, or other paddle-friendly vessel. All attendees arriving by water should enter under the Orleans Bridge where the staff will scan their ticket and then be required to go through security. People in boats and rafts are expected to have floatation devices on hand (and wear them if they are under 16) and follow other boating regulations.
Another way to reach the fest is by taking a streetcar. Two lines stop a short walk away from the festival, Canal Streetcar: City Park/Museum, and Cemeteries Canal Street.
Gates open at 4:30 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Chairs are welcome (look out for the “no chair zones” in front of each stage designated for dancing), but no outside food or drink, please. No pets are allowed.
Finally, although you will see some festival attendees splashing happily in the bayou, there are gators, snakes, and sharp debris like car parts and tree branches in the bayou, so swimming is highly discouraged. Plus, there are no lifeguards on duty, and there’s a whole lot of drinking.
To get updates on the music and vendor lists for this year, check out the Bayou Boogaloo website or the festival’s Facebook page.
Are you visiting this spring and planning on attending Bayou Boogaloo? We got you covered! Check out our top recommendations for hotels in the French Quarter.
