Celebrating 20 Years of Blues, Community & Food With You!
Get ready for the ultimate weekend of music, food, and culture! The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation is proud to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival on October 9-11, 2026, in Lafayette Square Park. For two incredible decades, we have highlighted the deep roots and global influence of Gulf South music, cuisine, and craftsmanship right in the heart of New Orleans - and we want to continue the celebration with you!
Since 2006, the Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival has welcomed music lovers of all ages to the Crescent City for a culturally rich weekend of top blues performing artists, highly sought-after Gulf South dishes, and one-of-a-kind creations by local artisans. In just under one month, we are doing it all again and don't want you to miss what's in store!
Live Music Schedule
The full artist lineup for the 2026 Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival is live!
Top blues artists from across the Gulf South will take the St. Charles Avenue and Camp Street stages for a weekend of nonstop music! Among the weekend’s headliners are Grammy Award winner Ruthie Foster, acclaimed singer and guitarist Samantha Fish, and legendary musician Booker T. Jones, a multi-Grammy Award winner and recipient of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
The St. Charles Avenue stage brings the sounds and energy of George Porter Jr. & Runnin' Pardners, The Zac Schulze Gang, Johnny Sansone, Erica Falls & Vintage Soul, Mia Borders, an All-Star Tribute to Scott Aiges, and Marc Stone.
The Camp Street stage features the talents of Cedric Burnside, Little Freddie King, Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience featuring Marcella Simien, Linda Gail Lewis, Kenny Brown, Jimmy "Duck" Holmes, the Washboard Chaz Blues Trio, and Dexter Allen.
For the full schedule, visit www.crescentcitybluesfest.com!
Food & Arts Markets
While you groove to the music, take a walk around Lafayette Square Park and explore a thrilling variety of arts & crafts and culinary delights in the Food and Arts Markets.
The Food Market features 14 local culinary and pastry chefs offering menu items from classic smoked brisket to Asian fusion ribs to fully stacked poboys and sweet treats to make your meal complete, including Cochon King BBQ, Divine Cuisine, Magasin Vietnamese Cafe, Keyala's Pralines, and more.
The Arts Market will feature nearly two dozen artisans from across Greater New Orleans, showcasing their uniquely handmade crafts available for sale. Portraits, ceramics, glassware, fashionable clothing, body & skin care, and everything in between will be offered by Erica Lee Art, Jose LR Fernandes Photo, Karen Ocker Art, Lasalle & Jackson™️, Lizano's Glass Haus, Inc., and many more.
Visit www.crescentcitybluesfest.com for the full list of participating vendors!
2026 Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival Sponsors
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation gratefully acknowledges our sponsors for supporting musicians and live music in New Orleans.
WWOZ 90.7 FM, Cathead Vodka, Urban South Brewery, National Endowment for the Arts, Louisiana Lottery, Goldfarb Financial, Louisiana Division of the Arts, Big Easy Cruise, WWNO 89.9, Realcycle, and ChillZone.
About the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation uses proceeds generated by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell and additional funds for year-round programs in education, economic development, and cultural enrichment, including initiatives like the Don "Moose" Jamison Heritage School of Music, Congo Square Lecture Series, Class Got Brass, youth workshops, grants, music industry workshops, and festivals such as the Crescent City Blues & BBQ, Tremé Creole Gumbo, Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco and Congo Square Rhythms. These free programs aim to support Louisiana’s cultural community and are complemented by assets such as the Jazz & Heritage radio station WWOZ 90.7 FM, the Jazz & Heritage Archive, and the George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center. For more information, visit www.jazzandheritage.org.