The non-profit French Quarter Festivals, Inc. (FQFI) announce the official return after a two-year hiatus. French Quarter Festival presented by Chevron, the largest free festival and showcase of Louisiana music, food, and culture, takes place April 21-24 across venues and stages in the French Quarter neighborhood. This year’s festival invites locals and visitors to reconnect with the flavors of regional cuisine from more than 50 local restaurants, dance to the beat of 265+ Louisiana acts on 20 stages, and enjoy special events that celebrate this unique city. The festival will operate from 11am-8pm each day of the event.

The FQFI staff has continued to work diligently to bring back this beloved event that has been missed by its growing community of fans, musicians, gig workers, sponsors and partners. Throughout this time the team has stayed in close communication with City, Health and Public Safety Officials and together are confident in the ability to produce a safe and joyfule experience for all this year. "We have worked and waited patiently and now the countdown to our 2022 spring festival has officially begun," said Emily Madero, President & CEO of FQFI. "We are returning strong with over 1,800 local musicians, more than 40 chefs and restaurants, new interactive fan experiences, and evening programming across the city. FQFI is proud to kick off the festival season in New Orleans with a truly authentic celebration and we welcome everyone to join us for an unforgettable four days."

This year's French Quarter Festival will feature more than 265 performances on 20 stages. 25 artists will be making their French Quarter Fest debut, including Rickie Lee Jones, Chapel Heart Band, and Vegas Cola Band. The talent and sounds of over 1800 musicians will bubble up from the streets filling the Quarter with an unmistakable feeling that only French Quarter Festival can provide. Voted the 2019 'local favorite,' the festival returns with a vibrant lineup of musical performers from a variety of genres.

Returning favorites include Tank and the Bangas, John Boutté, Amanda Shaw, Bill Summers & Jazzalsa, Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, and hundreds more. Attendees can experience Louisiana legends in the streets of the Quarter each night of festival, thanks to the Chevron Evening Concert Series, which returns in 2022 with Irma Thomas, Rockin’ Dopsie, Jr., Waterseed, and Big Chief Bo Dollis Jr. and the Wild Magnolias at the Chevron Stage now in the Jax Brewery Lot. The GE Stage finds a new home in Jackson Square with an all-star lineup of New Orleans’ most respected artists and culture-bearers including Jeremy Davenport, Shannon Powell, Robin Barnes, and James Andrews. The riverfront Abita Beer Stage brings four days of music including Sweet Crude, The Soul Rebels, and Walter "Wolfman" Washington and the Roadmasters. Artists on the Jack Daniel’s Stage in Canal Plaza include Alfred Banks w/ Sax Kix Ave, Erica Falls, and the Jamal Batiste Band. At the Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage, the lineup includes a Sunday morning Gospel performance from debut Zulu Gospel Choir. At the New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint, brass bands will be featured Friday-Sunday on the Louisiana Fish Fry Stage, and the WWL-TV Esplanade in the Shade Stage brings three days of music from crowd favorites like Tin Men and Sarah Quintana. The festival brings more music to the French Quarter neighborhood with the French Market Traditional Jazz Stage and Dutch Alley Stage located in the French Market District, the Café Beignet Stage at Musical Legends Park and Jazz Playhouse at the Royal Sonesta New Orleans, both at 300 Bourbon, the Jones Walker Songwriter Stage which returns to the outdoor courtyard at The Historic New Orleans Collection, and multiple street stages along Bourbon and Royal Streets.

The complete music schedule will be released late March.

French Quarter Fest expands fan 2022 fan experience offering new nightime programming. French Quarter Fest After Dark is a curated series of performances and pop-up events to enhance the fan experience and keep the good times rolling after the last festival stage closes. The official FQF After Dark Series will kick off on Thursday evening at Double Dealer and continue Friday evening at Three Keys at ACE Hotel.

More than 50 culinary vendors will feature some of New Orleans' most iconic dishes, including Creole Seafood Dressing Boulettes with Crawfish Etouffee from Lasyone’s Meat Pies, Vaucresson’s Sausage Co’s Creole Barbecue Chicken Sausage, Berry Glazed Bacon & Jalapeno Duck Poppers from Court of Two Sisters, Oyster Morrow: crab stuffed oysters on the halfshell from Morrow’s and Shrimp and Beef Yakamein from Miss Linda the Yakamein Lady.

This year, FQFI welcomes culinary debuts Cocoa and Cream Catering with a Fried Catfish Acadiana: Catfish filet on a bed of cajun alfredo veggie pasta topped with a creole shrimp sauce, The Bower’s Cochon de lait and Smoked Fish Dip, new to the New Orleans food scene is Ethopian restaurant Addis Nola’s with Collard Green Sambusas and Sweet Awaze Chicken Legs and Maggie’s Back Porch Café, introducing Grilled Chicken Livers and Barbecue Rib Tips. Other returning favorites include Ajun Cajun, Walker’s BBQ, Loretta’s Praline Connection, Mrs. Wheat Pies and Landry’s.

Special Events, Programs, and Festival Extras

● French Quarter Festival Second-Line Kickoff Parade will take place Thursday, April 21 at 10 a.m. The parade departs from the 200 block of Bourbon Street and makes its way to Jackson Square.

● Free dance lessons sponsored by the French Market Corporation will occur at both the Chevron Stage and the French Market Traditional Jazz Stage throughout the festival

● On Saturday and Sunday the Chevron Children’s STEM Zone, will return to the Natchez Wharf to entertain and educate people of all ages.

The New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park Kids Stage operates just a stones throw away from the

STEM Zone on both days.

●  Ernie’s Schoolhouse Stage located at the Homer A. Plessy Community School features an array of up and coming musicians of middle and high school age from independent programs and school associated ensembles. This initiative, started in 2018, continues FQFI’s commitment to investing in the next generation of New Orleans’ culture bearers. Youth inclined to musical performance are provided opportunities to showcase their talents at a major music festival while learning about engaging in the live production aspect of the music industry.

FRENCH QUARTER FESTIVAL 2022 MUSIC LINEUP
Full Schedule Available Late March

THURSDAY, April 21, 2022

*Festival debuts

Alex McMurray ● Babineaux Sisters Band ● Bag of Donuts ● Chapel Hart Band ● Cole Williams Band ● Corey Henry & the Treme Funktet ● Dave Jordan & the NIA ● Elizabeth Lyons ● Eric Traub Legacy Band ● Joe Hall & The Cane Cutters ● Joe Krown & Jason Ricci ● John Lisi & Delta Funk! ● Johnny Sansone ● Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers ● Lena Prima ● Lost Bayou Ramblers ● MainLine ● Margie Perez ● New Birth Brass Band ● New Wave Brass Band ● Paul Sanchez and the Rolling Road Show ● Rechelle Cook and the Regeneration Band ● Shannon Powell Traditional All-Star Band ● Soul Creole ● Susan Cowsill ● Sweet Crude ● T'Canaille ● TBC Brass Band ● The Dirty Dozen Brass Band ● Troy Sawyer and the Elementz ● Water Seed

FRIDAY, April 22, 2022

*Festival debuts

*Alexey Marti ● Banu Gibson ● Bill Summers & Jazzalsa ● * Blackcat Zydeco featuring Dwight Carrier ● Burris ● Caren Green ● Da Truth Brass Band ● DinosAurchestra ● Donna Angelle & the Zydeco Posse ● Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers ● George Porter, Jr. & the Runnin' Pardners ● Higher Heights Reggae Band ● Hot 8 Brass Band ● Irma Thomas, Soul Queen of New Orleans ● * J & the Causeways ● Jamal Batiste Band ● Joe Lastie's New Orleans Sound ● Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes ● Juju Child & The Hypnotic Roots Band ● Kumasi ● Lisa Amos ● *Loose Cattle ● Lulu and the Broadsides ● Maggie Koerner ● Magnetic Ear ● *Mason Trail and Zydeco Rhythm ● Mykia Jovan ● New Orleans Cottonmouth Kings ● New Orleans Ragtime Orchestra feat. Lars Edegran ● New Orleans Suspects ● Palmetto Bug Stompers ● Quarx ● *Rickie Lee Jones ● Rickie Monie & Traditional Jazz Ramblers ● Tasche De La Rocha● The Dukes of Dixieland ● The Iguanas ● * The Lilli Lewis Project ● The Nation of Gumbollia ● The Original Pinettes Brass Band ● The Original Tuxedo Jazz Band ● The Revealers ● Tuba Skinny ● Valerie Sassyfras ● Wendell Brunious ● Wild Bill

SATURDAY, April 23, 2022

*Festival debuts

A2D2 Experience ● Amanda Shaw ● Amigos do Samba ● Anaïs St. John ● And Then Came Humans ● André Bohren with the Electric Yat Quartet ● Andrew Hall's Memories of New Orleans ● Aurora Nealand & the Royal Roses ● Bamboula 2000 ● Benny Grunch & the Bunch ● Big 6 Brass Band ● Big Chief Bo Dollis, Jr. & the Wild Magnolias ● Big Chief Monk Boudreaux and the Golden Eagles ● Big Frank & Lil Frank and the Dirty Old Men ● Blake Amos ● Bonerama ● Brandon Moreau and his Cajungrass ● Capt. John Royen and N.O. Rhythm ● Chance Bushman & The Ibervillianaires ● Charlie Halloran and the Tropicales ● Charmaine Neville ● Christian Serpas & Ghost Town ● Claude Bryant and The Allstars ● Curley Taylor and Zydeco Trouble ● Dance Lesson ● Dash Rip Rock ● Deacon John and the Ivories with special guests Hot Rod Lincoln ● DeJan's Olympia Brass Band ● Duz Mancini & The Wasted Shades ● Erica Falls ● Evan Christopher's Clarinet Road ● *Fermín Ceballos + Merengue4FOUR ● Fontainebleau High School Jazz Ensemble One ● Garden District Jazz Band ● Gary Negbaur ● Ghalia Volt ● *Gumbeaux Juice feat an All Star Lineup ● Harmonouche ● James Andrews ● James Martin Band ● Jamey St. Pierre and The Honeycreepers ● *Jamie Lynn Vessels ● Jamil Sharif ● Jesse McBride presents the Next Generation ● John "Papa" Gros ● Joy Clark ● Juno Dunes ● Katy Hobgood Ray ● Keith Burnstein ● Lawrence Cotton Legendary Experience ● Louis Ford & His New Orleans Flairs ● Make Music NOLA ● Marc Stone ● Mark Braud’s New Orleans Jazz Giants ● Mestre Curtis Pierre and the Robin Barnes & The Fiyabirds ● Sam Price & the True Believers ● Steve Pistorius & the Southern Syncopators ● Storyville Stompers Brass Band ● Samba Man ● Mia Borders ● Mike Doussan ● Mikhala "Jazz Muffin" Iversen ● Miss Sophie Lee ● Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas ● Naughty Professor ● New Orleans Classic Jazz Orchestra ● New Orleans Nightcrawlers ● NPS Arrowhead Jazz Band ● Onward Brass Band ● Pierre A. Capdau Charter School Marching Band ● Red Hot Brass Band ● Ryan Hall ● Sarah Quintana ● Seva Venet’s Storyville Stringband ● Sullivan Dabney's Muzik Jazz Band ● Thais Clark & her JAZZsters ● The Beignet Orchestra ● The Daiquiri Queens ● The Dick Deluxe Revue ● The Frederick A. Douglass Legacy Chorale ● The Irene Sage Band ● The Nayo Jones Experience ● The Smoking Time Jazz Club ● The Smoky Greenwell Band ● The Soul Rebels ● The Steve Rohbock Group ● Sancton's New Orleans Legacy Band ● Stylez ● Walter "Wolfman" Washington and the Roadmasters ● Young Indians of the Nation ● The Tin Men ● Trombone Shorty Academy ● Tim Laughlin ● *Vegas Cola Band ●  Wynton (aka Kevin Stylez)

SUNDAY, April 24, 2022

*Festival debuts

● Bucktown All-Stars ● Cameron Dupuy and The Cajun Troubadours ● Charlie Wooton’s Zydefunk ● Christien Bold & SoulSwing ● Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band ● Clive Wilson's New Orleans Serenaders ● Creole String Beans ● Cullen Landry and the Midnight Streetcar Band featuring Al "Carnival Time" Johnson ● Dancing at Dusk with Tom Saunders and the Tomcats ● Dave Ferrato & Later, On Decatur ● Davis Rogan ● Debbie Davis and Josh Paxton Duo ● Don Jamison Heritage School of Music ● Don Vappie & Banjo a la Créole ● Ever More Nest ● Flow Tribe ● Greater New Orleans Youth Orchestras ● Green Gasoline ● Helen Gillet & Wazozo ● Honey Island Swamp Band ● Hot Club of New Orleans ● Jack Sledge ● Jeremy Davenport ● Joe Cabral Thrio ● John Boutté ● John F Kennedy Senior High School-JDrum Section ● John Mahoney Little Band ● Jon Cleary & the Absolute Monster Gentlemen ● Jumbo Shrimp Jazz Band ● Kid Simmons Jazz Band ● Kim Carson & the Real Deal ● Little Freddie King ● Lynn Drury ● Mahogany Brass Band ● Mark Brooks ● Mayumi Shara & New Orleans Jazz Letters ● Alfred Banks w/ Sax Kix Ave ● Barbara Shorts & Blue Jazz ● Andrew Duhon ● Astral Project ● Beth Patterson ● *Big Chief Juan Pardo & the Golden Comanches ● Bon Bon Vivant ● Broke Down Streetcar ● Bruce Daigrepont Cajun Band ● McDonough 35 Senior High School Marching Band ● Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns ● Mikayla Braun ● Mike Harvey's Hot Club ● Naydja CoJoe ● New Orleans Swamp Donkeys ● NOCCA Jazz Ensemble ● NORUZ ● Notel Motel ● On the Levee Jazz Band ● Papa Mali ● Papo y Son Mandao ● Pat Casey & the New Sound ● Paulin Brothers Jazz Band ● Red Wolf Brass Band ● Rhodes Spedale & Live Jazz Group ● Rick Trolsen's New Orleans Po' Boys ● Riverdale High School Band ● Rockin' Dopsie Jr. & the Zydeco Twisters ● Shad Weathersby and Mike Artell ● Shake Em' Up Jazz Band ● Songs for Junior Rangers featuring Sam Kuslan ● Sick Ride ● Soul Brass Band ● Sporty's Brass Band ● The Dixie Cups ● The Garden of Joy ● The New Orleans Jazz Vipers ● The New Orleans Klezmer All Stars ● The New Orleans Swinging G’s ● The NOCCA Jazz Ensemble ● The Pfister Sisters ● The Steamboat Willie Jazz Band ● The Suplecs ● Topsy Chapman and Solid Harmony ● Treme Brass Band ● Wanda Rouzan and a Taste of New Orleans ● Washboard Chaz Blues Trio ● Waylon Thibodeaux Band ● Zena Moses & Rue Fiya ● *Zulu Gospel Choir

Check frenchquarterfest.org for all the latest!