More than 270 Performances Revealed for the 2023 French Quarter Festival

3/19/2023

The music lineup for the 2023 French Quarter Festival is sure to please everyone with more than 270 performances from a variety of genres across 20 stages. The Riverfront Abita Beer Stage brings four days of music including headliners The Soul Rebels ft. Big Freedia, Ani DiFranco, Samantha Fish, and Tank and the Bangas. On Thursday night, Irma Thomas, Soul Queen of New Orleans closes out the stage with her last note followed by a special 40th-anniversary fireworks show on the riverfront, made possible by New Orleans & Company. Returning to JAX Lot, the Chevron Stage is a longtime Cajun/Zydeco destination well-known for its dancing crowds and energetic sounds. This year the Chevron Evening Concert Series features Big Chief Monk Boudreaux and the Golden Eagles, Erica Falls, Louisiana’s LeRoux, Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. & the Zydeco Twisters, and free dance lessons daily.

The GE Stage in Jackson Square kicks off Thursday following the Festival’s Opening Ceremony and continues throughout the weekend with New Orleans’ most respected artists and culture-bearers including Lena Prima, The Original Tuxedo Jazz Band, debut artist Charlie Gabriel and a special performance from Solid Harmony – A Tribute to Topsy Chapman, who began her French Quarter Festival journey the inaugural year. Artists on the Jack Daniel’s Stage in Canal Plaza bring a variety of sounds including performances from Latin band Muévelo, Rock artist and debut Zita, and favorites like R&B group Water Seed and The Dirty Dozen Brass Band. At the Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage, the lineup includes debut Rachel Fleetwood & Perfect Love Band, Higher Heights Reggae Band, Bag of Donuts, whose costumes are sure to liven up even the quietest Fest fan, a Sunday morning Gospel performance from debut choir The Zion Harmonizers and more.

The New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint is now home to the Credit Human Songwriter Stage inside the museum on the 3rd floor Saturday - Sunday and will include performances and talks from artists such as Mia Borders and Cole Williams. Outside, fans can enjoy more than a dozen brass bands Friday-Sunday on the Louisiana Fish Fry Stage, and the WWL-TV Esplanade in the Shade Stage brings debut Jason Neville FunkySoul Band, Astral Project, Iceman Special, and more to the Festival. Stop by the Pan-American Life Insurance Group Stage Friday-Sunday for a fusion of Latin beats, World Music, and Jazz from debuts like Cyrus Nabipoor Quintet and Javier Olondo & AsheSon. Ernie’s Schoolhouse Stage located at the Homer A. Plessy Community School brings youth from across the city to perform including the John Ehret Jazz Ensemble and Edna Karr.

The festival brings more music and dancing to the French Quarter neighborhood with the return of the French Market Traditional Jazz Stage, which also features free dance lessons, and the French Market Dutch Alley Stage, both located in the French Market District. More traditional jazz stages join the Festival’s lineup on Saturday and Sunday on Royal and Bourbon St. including the Café Beignet Stage at Musical Legends Park and Jazz Playhouse at the Royal Sonesta New Orleans, the Omni Royal Orleans Stage, Hancock Whitney Stage, and Zapp’s Potato Chips Stage.
French Quarter Festival also welcomes the Loyola University Stage at 400 Royal Street which kicks off Saturday with a performance by current students in the Loyola University Contemporary Ensemble(s).