NEW ORLEANS — The National Fried Chicken Festival is returning this October with a new location.
Festival organizers announced that the Fried Chicken Festival will return on the Oct. 23-24 weekend, but this time it will take place on the New Orleans Lakefront.
The new venue doubles the size of the free festival, which broke attendance records in 2019.
"The New Orleans community has eagerly awaited the return of festivals, and we are so grateful for the opportunity to celebrate together once again at a new and exciting location to mark the fifth anniversary of the National Fried Chicken Festival,” said Cleveland Spears, III, FCF Executive Producer and President/CEO of the Spears Group.
Fried Chicken Festivals joins French Quarter Fest and Jazz Fest in moving their event to October after the COVID-19 pandemic forced them to cancel their 2020 and early 2021 events.
The National Fried Chicken Festival will be the first lakefront festival since “Back to the Beach” in 2005, according to organizers.
“We’ve waited years for an event to return to the Lakefront, and we could not think of a better fit than the National Fried Chicken Festival,” said Louis J. Capo, Executive Director of Lakefront Management Authority. “The Lakefront is a beautiful location to provide an unforgettable experience while also ensuring everyone can socially distance while enjoying great food, music and so much more. We’re honored to provide a space where citizens and visitors can come together to support local restaurants and enjoy everything they love about New Orleans.”
The event will feature two music stages and more than 33 chefs from restaurants across the country.
