Cajun and Zydeco Festival

Loved:
* Indoor restrooms available for use at the Mint bldg.
* The wonderful zydeco music
* Free fest
Enjoyed:
* Food/​drink vendors (While limited options they were good. They had about 10 food vendors).
* Lots of shade along Esplanade Ave stage
I like this little zydeco fest but I thought the fest could have had more food and drink options. The daquiris were $ 9 each and only offered Strawberry or Margarita flavors. They also had mixed drinks and beer.
I will come back next year because of the great zydeco music and friendly atmosphere!

Had a great time this year! My first experience with live zydeco. Loved it.

For the cost (FREE), I didn’t expect much, but this was a great little festival: skilled musicians, plenty of space to dance, and friendly people! Food and drink stalls lined the courtyards (typical festival pricing), and I saw at least one stand selling souvenir items, but it didn’t seem like a pressure-​sale environment; everyone was just out to have a good time.
Tents are set up for artists to showcase their wares, too. I didn’t get the opportunity to browse as much as I’d like, but the work I saw was a step above a standard craft stall. If you want a larger selection of crafts, you can meander the French Market, and still hear music from the stages. The Creole Tomato Festival (held at the same time) was within easy walking distance as well.
2013 Music Schedule
Saturday, June 8
Esplanade Avenue Stage
11:30 am to 1:00 pm Mary Broussard & Sweet La La
1:30 pm to 3:00 pm Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band
3:30 pm to 5:00 pm T-​Broussard & the Zydeco Steppers
5:30 pm to 7:00 pm Rosie Ledet
Barracks Street Stage
11:00 am to 12:30 pm Dikki Du & the Zydeco Krewe
1:00 pm to 2:30 pm Les Freres Michot
3:15 pm to 4:45 pm Bruce Daigrepont
5:15 pm to 6:45 pm Corey Ledet & His Zydeco Band
French Market’s Creole Tomato Festival Ursulines Street Stage
10:30 am to 12:00 pm Jonno
12:30 pm to 2:00 pm The Babineaux Sisters
2:30 pm to 4:00 pm Ganey Arsement
4:30 pm to 6:00 pm Sean Ardoin
Sunday, June 9
Esplanade Avenue Stage
11:30 am to 1:00 pm Andre Thierry & Zydeco Magic
1:15 pm to 2:45 pm Geno Delafose & French Rockin’ Boogie
3:30 pm to 5:00 pm Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas
5:30 pm to 7:00 pm Sunpie & the La. Sunspots
Barracks Street Stage
11:00 am to 12:30 pm Li’l Nathan & the Zydeco Big Timers
1:00 pm to 2:30 pm Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers
3:15 pm to 4:45 pm Beausoleil
5:15 pm to 6:45 pm Lost Bayou Ramblers

A good time, lots of good free music, dancing in the streets, booze, heat and food.

This is a cool little music festival at the Mint and its FREE. They used to hold it in conjunction with the Seafood Festival but that fest has grown too large and has branched off into its own big event so that has decreased the food options at this fest. The Creole Tomato Fest is also going on at the same time as this event so you can check that out also. They have some good music and this is a good opportunity to have a good time but the heat can make it a real challenge.

This is a really fun family sort of festival great for EVERYONE. It’s hot, but that’s just June in New Orleans. This festival has some mist fans, grass, and a quality set of Cajun and Zydeco music. The food is good too. It’s a great asset to the Tomato Festival as well turning the whole French Market into a festival.

the US Mint is always a great place to showcase music in the heat of summer. the cajun zydeco fest was over the top. several stages, lots of food booths, and artists. AND the creole tomato fest was going on at the same time, adding to it.
had some wonderful crabcakes, with remoulade, and went on my adventure. Bruce Daigrepont was the first act I caught, EYEEeeeeee! then on to some cochon du lait, and some Roddie Romero & the Hub City Allstars… whats this? Lost bayou ramblers? yes INdeed. and sunpie, Bruce SunPie Barnes, the big chief of the northside skull and bone gang. Love me some bruce… and love me some of that lucious LEMON sorbet in a cone. YUM…
it was super hot out, and the trees provide a nice shade, and the esplanade side of this fest, or any fest at the mint, because of the breeze from the river. then there was that free sample booth of luzianne iced tea, that helped cool me off.
anyhow, to give you an idea of this fest, music wise, here’s the line up
SATURDAY, JUNE 11
ESPLANADE AVE. STAGE
11:30 am to 1:00 pm Joe Hall & the La. Cane Cutters
1:30 pm to 3:00 pm Bruce Daigrepont
3:30 pm to 5:00 pm Step Rideau & The Zydeco Outlaws
5:30 pm to 7:00 pm Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience
BARRACKS ST. STAGE
11:00 am to 12:30 pm T-​Broussard & the Zydeco Steppers
1:00 pm to 2:30 pm Les Freres Michot
3:15 pm to 4:45 pm Roddie Romero & the Hub City Allstars
5:15 pm to 6:45 pm Lost Bayou Ramblers
URSULINES STREET STAGE (French Market’s Creole Tomato Festival)
11:00 am to 12:30 pm Creole Zydeco Farmers
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm Terry & the Zydeco Bad Boyz
4:30 pm to 6:00 pm Sunpie & the Louisiana Sunspots
SUNDAY, JUNE 12
ESPLANADE AVE. STAGE
11:30 am to 1:00 pm High Performance
1:45 pm to 3:00 pm The Bluerunners
3:30 pm to 5:00 pm Nathan Williams & the Zydeco Cha Chas
5:30 pm to 7:00 pm Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band
BARRACKS ST. STAGE
11:00 am to 12:30 pm Leroy Thomas & the Zydeco Roadrunners
1:00 pm to 2:30 pm Ray Abshire
3:15 pm to 4:45 pm Horace Trahan & the Ossun Express
5:15 pm to 6:45 pm BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet
URSULINES ST. STAGE (French Market’s Creole Tomato Festival)
11:30 am to 1:00 pm Mary Broussard & Sweet La La
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm The Magnolia Sisters
4:30 pm to 6:00 pm Big Red & the Zydeco Playmakers
I loved it, I was reminded of the festivals before the storm, when they were smaller, and humble. I highly recommend this fest, because you can wander through the market, and catch more, and then tomato fest too.
of course, there’s the naked bike ride on saturday, but I didn’t catch any of it, I was too busy dancin.
we closed the evening by supporting our local boys on bourbon street, the bonoffs at the opera house, and waylon thibideaux at the tropical isle.
there’s PRIDE on bourbon street.
support your local coonass’
and like waylon said, «the way to a musicians heart, is through his liver on a hot day». tip em, and buy em drinks
eyeeeeeEEEEEEE!