Sure, we may be a bit biased, but when it comes to free festivals, it’s hard to find a more diverse, wide-ranging, and thoroughly enjoyable experience than our very own French Quarter Festival, which kicks off its 41^st anniversary on Thursday, April 11 and runs through Sunday, April 14.

With over 270 performances by local and regional artists, there’s no shortage of options for hearing great live music on any day, at any of the 22 stages strategically placed throughout the French Quarter.

We connected with our good friends at WWOZ (90.7 FM here in New Orleans), partners on our New Orleans Musician’s Database, and experts on all things New Orleans music, to identify some truly remarkable, can’t-miss acts slated to perform at the fest this year.

We can’t emphasize strongly enough that this was a nearly impossible task, because there’s so much excellent music every day, and you really can’t go wrong, no matter the day, time, or stage. Just make sure you find time to also enjoy some of the culinary delights, and cocktails being served up by more than 60+ local restaurants and bars.

With that, here’s a short list of artists we’re really excited about seeing at French Quarter Festival this year. And yes, many of them are playing at the same time, so you can catch a partial set of each, or enjoy one entire performance. Either way, you're sure to have a great time:

Jump To: Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday

Thursday

Rory Danger & The Danger Dangers

Abita Beer Stage – 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Rock/Rockabilly

T Marie & Bayou Juju

Chevron Stage – 12:50 – 1:50 p.m.

Traditional/Original Louisiana Music - T Marie plays fiddle

Johnny Sansone

Jack Daniel’s Stage – 12:50 – 1:50 p.m.

Blues - Johnny plays Harmonica & Accordion, sings

The Lilli Lewis Project

Abita Beer Stage – 12:50 – 1:50 p.m.

Soul-filled songwriting, piano, and vocals

Los Güiros

Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage – 3:10 – 4:10 p.m.

Blend of traditional folkloric dance rhythms of Colombia and the guitar/organ-driven sounds of Peruvian Chicha

Ivan Neville & Friends

Abita Beer Stage – 6:40 - 8 p.m.

Mix of Funk, Jazz, R&B, Blues, Soul, Rock & Reggae - Organ/Keys driven

Big Freedia

Chevron Stage – 6:45 – 8 p.m.

Bounce/Hip-Hop

Friday

Tuba Skinny

New Orleans & Company Stage – 11:15 a.m. – 12:25 p.m.

Trad jazz, jug band music, spirituals, country blues, string band music, ragtime, and New Orleans R&B. 

Shannon Powell Traditional All-Star Band

New Orleans & Company Stage – 12:45 – 2 p.m.

Trad jazz

Bobbi Rae

Louisiana Seafood Songwriter Stage – 1:30 – 2:25 p.m.

R&B Singer-Songwriter

Saxkixave

Jack Daniel’s Stage – 2:10 – 3:10 p.m.

Multi-instrumental Hip-Hop duo

Cole Williams

Loyola University Esplanade in the Shade Stage – 3:10-4:10 p.m.

Singer-Songwriter Soul, World, R&B, Reggae

Higher Heights Reggae Band

Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage – 3:10 – 4:10 p.m.

Reggae Band

People Museum

Jack Daniel’s Stage – 3:30 – 4:40 p.m.

Electro-Pop original music

Bon Bon Vivant

Loyola University Esplanade in the Shade Stage – 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Singer-songwriter Americana/pop/unique New Orleans sound/dark ballads to up-tempo indie dance music

Sunpie & The Louisiana Sunspots

Chevron Stage – 5-6:10 p.m.

Afro-Louisiana music incorporating Blues, Zydeco, Gospel, Caribbean, and African influenced rhythms and melodies. Bruce "Sunpie" Barnes plays accordion, harmonica, and other instruments

TBC Brass Band ft. Hasizzle

Jack Daniel’s Stage – 5:10-6:30 p.m.

Brass Band + Bounce Artist

Quiana Lynell & The Lush Life

New Orleans & Company Stage – 5:20-6:45 p.m.

Jazz Vocalist

Saturday

The Nayo Jones Experience

Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage – 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.

Jazz Vocalist

Amigos Do Samba

Pan-American Life Insurance Group Stage – 12:35 – 1:50 p.m.

Traditional Brazilian Samba Band

John Rankin

OMNI Royal Orleans Stage – 12:45 – 2 p.m.

Solo acoustic guitar, blends New Orleans feel with originals, jazz, classical guitar, folk, blues, rhythm and blues, and the American songbook.

Jason Mingledorff

BK House Garden Gate Stage – 2:30 – 3:45 p.m.

Saxophonist who has been working with huge names over nearly 30 years (including Dr. John & Harry Connick, Jr), this year FQF is his debut as a band leader

Yusa

New Orleans & Company Stage – 2:20 – 3:30 p.m.

Cuban Jazz, Multi Instrumentalist 

The Rumble ft. Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr.

Jack Daniel’s Stage – 3:30 – 4:40 p.m.

Mardi Gras Indian Funk

Charlie & The Tropicales 

French Market Traditional Jazz Stage – 3:30-5 p.m.

Trad Jazz/ 60’s-style Caribbean lounge band

Handmade Moments

Louisiana Seafood Songwriter Stage – 4 – 5 p.m.

Multi-instrumental songwriting duo with vocals and beatboxing

The Original Pinettes Brass Band with Mia X

Jack Daniel’s Stage – 5-6:20 p.m.

All female brass band + Vocalist/rapper

Caren Green

Jazz Playhouse at the Royal Sonesta New Orleans – 5-7:30 p.m.

R&B/Soul/Vocalist & Songwriter

Johnny Sketch & The Dirty Notes

Loyola University Esplanade Made in the Shade Stage – 5:30 – 7 p.m.

Jazz/Blues/Funk/Rock band

Sunday

Muévelo

Pan-American Life Insurance Group Stage – 12:35-1:50 p.m.

Latin Band with vocals and saxophone

Seva Venet's Storyville Stringband

French Market Dutch Alley Stage – 1 – 2:15 p.m.

Traditional/Original New Orleans Jazz 

John Mooney

Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage – 1:50 – 2:50 p.m.

Blues Guitarist & Singer

Robin Barnes & The Fiyabirds

New Orleans & Company Stage – 2:20 – 3:10 p.m.

Jazz/Funk/Soul/R&B Vocalist 

Leslie Cooper & Music Street

Hancock Whitney Stage – 2:30 – 3:45 p.m.

Traditional Jazz Vocalist

Aurora Nealand & The Royal Roses

French Market Dutch Alley Stage – 2:30 – 4 p.m.

Clarinetist with Traditional New Orleans Band

Wanda Rouzan & A Taste of New Orleans

Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage – 3:10 – 4:10 p.m.

Jazz/Blues/Funk Vocalist

The Helen Gillet French Music Allstars

BK House Solar Stage – 3:45 – 5 p.m.

Cellist & her French music all-stars

Kristin Diable

Louisiana Seafood Songwriter Stage – 4:05 – 5 p.m.

Folk/Roots/Americana Singer-Songwriter

Gerald French & The Original Tuxedo Jazz Band

Jazz Playhouse at the Royal Sonesta New Orleans – 5 – 7:30 p.m.

Traditional New Orleans Jazz

The New Orleans Klezmer All Stars

Pan-American Life Insurance Group Stage – 5:30 – 7 p.m.

Klezmer

James Andrews

New Orleans & Company Stage – 5:30 – 6:45 p.m.

New Orleans Jazz / Brass

The New Orleans Nightcrawlers

Louisiana Fish Fry Stage – 5:45 – 7 p.m.

Funky Rootsy Brass Band Supergroup

Astral Project

Loyola University Esplanade Made in the Shade Stage – 5:50 – 7 p.m.

Modern Jazz Ensemble with major New Orleans influence

Honey Island Swamp Band

Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage – 6:15 – 7:45 p.m.

Contemporary blues/roots/country/soul Rock