15 Things to Do in March

March in New Orleans is festival central. We’ve got literary fests, music fests, food fests, and St. Patrick’s Day parades. Even Mardi Gras Day falls on March 4 this year, with parades leading up to Fat Tuesday every night. Combine that with the mild, sunny spring weather and you couldn’t pick a better time to visit New Orleans. Check out our top picks for the month and book your visit today.

Enjoy special festivities on Lundi Gras Day   

Lundi Gras is the day before Mardi Gras Day, so this year it falls on March 3, 2025. It’s the one day of the year where several walking krewes parade during the day and a super-krewe rolls at night, so you’ve got the best of both worlds. The Krewe of Red Beans, Dead Beans, and Feijao parades are processions through different areas of the city paying homage to the unique aspects of New Orleans culture. Down at Woldenberg Park, the Zulu Lundi Gras Festival and nearby Riverwalk’s annual Lundi Gras celebration are two family-friendly events with lots of food, live music, and history. Then, the  Krewe of Proteus kicks off an evening of events before the musically themed super-krewe  Orpheus rolls. There are shows across the city stretching into the wee hours of Mardi Gras Day—see if you can stay up through the night.  

Celebrate Mardi Gras Day  

Here at last following two and a half months of parades, partying, and king cake consumption, Mardi Gras Day (March 4) marks the end of the season. But, before the festivities conclude at midnight, Fat Tuesday is a day for indulgence. The North Side Skull & Bone Gang kicks off Mardi Gras Day before sunrise in the Tremé. If you were too busy enjoying a tequila sunrise for that early of a wakeup call, you can catch the Krewe of Zulu at 8 a.m. Following that parade is the Krewe of Rex, plus truck parades throughout the day. The Bourbon Street Awards is a Mardi Gras Day tradition, a kind of costume contest for the ages. Enjoy traditional New Orleans food all day long, make a friend or two along the parade route, and let the good times roll.

Celebrate Women’s History Month  

March marks Women’s History Month, and there are plenty of ways to celebrate in New Orleans. The Jazz & Heritage Foundation presents Chanteuse: Celebrating New Orleans Women in Music concert series each spring. Support a variety of woman-owned businesses, which range from bakeries and boutiques to tour companies and restaurants, this Women’s History Month in New Orleans.

Read out loud at the New Orleans Book Festival  

Lovers of literature rejoice - the New Orleans Book Festival returns this March 27-29. In partnership with New Orleans Entrepreneur Week, the multi-day event will include readings, panel discussions, symposia, keynote speeches, and a family day with book readings and distributions. Admission to New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University is free and open to the public.

Participate in New Orleans Entrepreneur Week  

New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW) returns this March 24-29 in coordination with New Orleans Book Festival. NOEW supports emerging entrepreneurs through discussions, debates, competition, and education. 

Jam out at Wednesday at the Square  

We love Wednesday at the Square for many reasons:  it’s a fundraiser for the Young Leadership Council, it features great local musicians and vendors, it’s free to attend, and it’s held every hump day, like a balm for your midweek blues. The 2025 spring series kicks off on March 19 and concludes on May 7. Stay tuned for the artist lineup.

Cheer on your favorite sports team  

Sports are in full swing this February in New Orleans. The Pelicans have several home games on the schedule for this month, and both men and women’s college basketball are in full swing for any fans out there. The NOLA Gold Rugby season continues with a home game against the Chicago Hounds on March 29.

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day  

St. Patrick’s Day weekend in New Orleans is a chance to drink green beer at Pat O’s and catch a cabbage from a street parade. Mark your calendars for the Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day parade (March 15), the Downtown Irish Club Parade (March 17), and more festivities around St. Patrick’s Day in New Orleans.

Go to the Danny Barker Banjo + Guitar Festival  

The Danny Barker Banjo + Guitar Festival returns from March 19-23. This festival pays homage to New Orleanian musician, writer, instrumentalist, vocalist, composer, and lyricist, Mr. Danny Barker. Just as versatile as Barker was himself, the festival features a mixture of programming including live music performances, panel discussions and workshops, special events and outings, second lines, and more.

Check out “Art in Bloom” at NOMA 

Held at the New Orleans Museum of Art each spring, “Art in Bloom” showcases spectacular floral designs created by garden clubs, floral designers, and creative talents from New Orleans and beyond. Take in fabulous floral installations throughout the museum, learn directly from today’s top design talents, and celebrate spring during the luncheon and fashion show. This year’s event, themed “Les Jardins de la Nouvelle-Orléans,” will take inspiration from the elegant gardens and French history of our city. Art in Bloom returns March 26-30, 2025.

See Mardi Gras Indians on Uptown Super Sunday  

Celebrated each year around St. Joseph’s Day, Uptown Super Sunday features Black masking Mardi Gras Indian tribes decked out in colorful, hand-sewn suits. Anyone can stop by to watch as the groups dance, march, and walk alongside one another in this celebration of African American, Native American, and New Orleans culture. On March 16, the festival begins at noon at A.L. Davis Park (at Washington & LaSalle Streets). The parade is at 2 p.m.

Attend the Tennessee Williams + Saints and Sinners Literary Festivals  

Returning for its 39th year, attend the Tennessee Williams Literary Festival from March 26-30. Readers, writers, theater lovers, and fans of the festival’s namesake will enjoy a series of panel discussions, readings, interviews, and social events. The Saints and Sinners LGBTQ Literary Festival, created specifically for the LGBTQ+ community, will be held in a similar format from March 28-30.

Enjoy an outing to the theater  

Spring theater is in full swing this March, from Broadway to dance. Enjoy performances including “Funny Girl” at the Saenger from March 11-16, “Jersey Boys” at Le Petit Theatre from March 14 – April 6, and a special two-night program from Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at the Mahalia Jackson Theater on March 21 and 22. Find more theater here. 

Celebrate New Orleans culture at Congo Square Rhythms Festival 

Congo Square Rhythms Festival returns to Congo Square March 29-30. Presented by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, the fest is free to attend and features brass bands, Mardi Gras Indians, New Orleans funk and African dance, delicious cuisine, and an arts market.

Eat lots of crawfish and fried fish  

Crawfish season is in full swing come March, and New Orleans is full of seafood shops and restaurants that’ll satisfy all your cravings. Grab ‘em boiled, sautéed, baked, or fried, or get ‘em raw for a crawfish boil of your own. Also, this March, plan to grab a fish plate from a local school or church on any Friday. 

Bonus things to do:

French Film Festival 

French Film Festival returns this March 13-16. Enjoy showings of full-length and short films (all with English subtitles), live music, lectures, parties, and more.