Hotels near Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival

The Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival is one of the best free events in New Orleans in October, filling Lafayette Square for three days with no admission fee. It is organised by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, the non-profit behind Jazz Fest, and focuses on blues from south Louisiana and Mississippi, with line-ups that mix veteran blues players, local soul singers and touring guitar names.

Barbecue is the other half of the festival. Local pitmasters serve brisket, ribs and pulled pork from stalls around the square, with meat-free options for vegetarians, and an art market sells prints, jewellery and crafts. Lafayette Square was laid out in 1788 and faces the white-columned Gallier Hall, so the stages sit under mature oaks, which helps on a warm afternoon.

Pro Tip: Friday afternoon is the quietest session. Bring a folding chair or blanket, as seating near the main stage disappears by mid-afternoon on Saturday.