When is the Nola Caribbean Festival 2024?
The dates for the NOLA FESTICAL will be from June 21 to June 23, 2024
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Where is the NOLA Caribbean Festival?
The NOLA Caribbean Festival takes place in New Orleans! The festival will take place in the historic Central City neighborhood. The venue is Central City BBQ.
Central City BBQ Address:
- 1201 S Rampart St
- New Orleans, 70113
What is the NOLA Caribbean Festival?
Did you know that New Orleans is the most northern city in the Caribbean. Many say that because of its relaxed culture, similar geographic location that the city of New Orleans mirrors the Caribbean vibe. As New Orleans has the title of ‘Caribbean city’ it was important to keep Caribbean culture alive! This is achieved with the NOLA Caribbean Carnival!
The NOLA Caribbean Carnival is all about embracing and celebrating Caribbean culture through dance, music, cuisine, culture and good company. The carnival also coincides with Caribbean Heritage Month, which is also celebrated in June.
So get ready for lots of reggae, soca, salsa, jazz, pounds of jerk chicken, fried plantains, delicious rice, colorful costumes, delicious rum and parties. NOLA Caribbean Festival is filled with a beautiful mix of diverse people, generations and cultures, it is absolutely worth attending!
What is the history of the Nola Caribbean Festival?
The Nola Caribbean Festival was created back in June 2019. It was created because New Orleans has such a large Caribbean population and there was a demand for that community to express and celebrate their traditions and culture. The festival is all about reminding people that New Orleans is an integral part of the Caribbean.
How do they celebrate the Nola Caribbean Festival?
NOLA Caribbean Festival is all about Caribbean music, dance, cuisine, culture and traditions. The carnival will feature live entertainment and music shows featuring top talent from all over the Caribbean including Puerto Rico, Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica as well as local New Orleans musicians.
Enjoying Caribbean cuisine is another major part of the celebration and there will be amazing food vendors selling delicious Caribbean cuisine like Jamaican rice and greens, Trini’s flat bread with shark meat, sorrel tea and many more mouth-watering desserts, drinks and dishes from all over the Caribbean.
In addition to delicious food and excellent music, the NOLA Caribbean Festival have so many other fun activities for the whole family like a Kids Corner, African drum lessons, a salsa tent, as well as the New Orleans’ Bounce vs Dancehall competition There are many parties in the lead up and during the carnival weekend.
Of course one of the highlights of the NOLA Caribbean Festival is the parade! The parade which features incredible costumes, performers, musicians and live bands, who put on the most energetic show while they dance their way through the Central Business District before heading back to the festival headquarters at Central City BBQ.
Nola Caribbean Festival Events
NOLA Colour Me Krazy Carnival Parade
The most popular event at NOLA Caribbean Festival is the NOLA Colour Me Krazy Carnival Parade. The parade features masquerade bands, brass bands, dance groups and even the New Orleans Mardi Gras Indians.
One of the greatest things about the parade is that you don’t have to be a spectator, you can join in the parade. You can join the mas band Supa Nova, a J’ouvert style band called Paint VS Powder, or even play mas with New Orleans’ very own mas band – Kaleidoscope Mas Band.
NOLA Caribbean Festival
The NOLA Caribbean Festival will feature loads of activities for the whole family at the NOLA Caribbean Festival Headquarters at Central City BBQ. Entrance to the venue has the music mainstage, the indoor day party stage, outdoor DJ stage, food vendors, bars, salsa tend, kids corner, back deck and vendors village and seating.
Nola Caribbean Festival Tickets
For information on ticket prices and what a ticket includes please go to the official website Nola Caribbean Festival
How to get to New Orleans?
- By Plane: You can fly to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY). It takes around 30 – 45 minutes to get from the airport to the New Orleans CBD or French Quarter.
- By Car: Drive to New Orleans via I-10, I-55, U.S. 90, U.S. 61, or even across the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway on LA 25, then US 190. By Bus: Greyhound and Megabus service New Orleans from Union Passenger Terminal at 1001 Loyola Ave.
- By Train: Amtrak trains service the New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal which is located at 1001 Loyola Ave, in the Central Business District.
- By Ship: It’s not generally considered “transportation,” but it is possible that you can cruise to or from the Port of New Orleans
Where to stay in New Orleans?
When it comes to where to stay for New Orleans Mardi Gras, this can be a challenge. You will most likely want to stay as close to the parades as possible. That way, you can easily walk to and from the celebrations, and you also have easy access to your own bathrooms, or a nice place to take a place from the crowds. Most tourists are interested in staying in either Uptown or the French Quarter.
Some top accommodation options in New Orleans include:
- Courtyard By Marriott
- Holiday Inn Express New Orleans
- InterContinental New Orleans
- JW Marriott
- Four Points by Sheraton French Quarter
- Hotel Monteleone
- The Quisby
- Pontchartrain Hotel
For hotels located close to the Uptown parades with a ‘New Orleans feel’ stay at The Prytania Park, Prytania Oaks and the Queen Anne Hotels, which are all located in the historic Lower Garden District, close to parades.
If you don’t want to stay in the Lower Garden District, the Garden District or the French Quarter then don’t panic! There are still plenty of other great options. Look around Uptown, the Warehouse District or the Central Business District. For a quieter but still exciting experience consider Faubourg Marigny and the Baywater neighborhoods. New Orleans is a fairly small city and a great place to walk around when the weather is nice.
Check out some great accommodation deals on Booking.com for New Orleans here.
Go on a Tour of New Orleans
This is highly recommended! This is a historic city with so many sights and sounds. There are plenty of city tours that are worth doing such as:
- New Orleans: Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Tour where you can hop on a double-decker bus, sit back and admire New Orleans greatest sites with live commentary.
- French Quarter Walking and Storytelling Tour where you can stroll through the French Quarter and discover more about this unpredictable neighborhood.
- New Orleans: Go City All-Inclusive Pass with 25+ Attractions – Gives you access into 20+ attractions
- New Orleans Luxury Bus Tour taking you through the French Quarter, beautiful Garden District, Marigny, 9th Ward, Tremé and other cool neighborhoods.
- French Quarter Secrets and Bourbon Street Tour is a half day tour that immerses you in the Creole culture of New Orleans.
