When you think about the biggest events in New Orleans, you likely picture Mardi Gras, which falls in either February or March, depending on the year. But if you’re planning on visiting New Orleans in March, you’ll find that early spring brings about some of the biggest and best festivals in the Big Easy, even if you can’t time your visit with the city’s infamous Mardi Gras celebrations!

From St. Patrick’s Day fun to festivals that celebrate all the diverse cultures in the city, March brings about celebrations that showcase all the different sides of New Orleans. And whether you’re an avid reader, a frequent movie-goer, or a music lover, there’s something for you in March.

Planning a March trip to New Orleans? We’ve compiled a list of the best things to do in New Orleans in March, from one-of-a-kind festivals to treats you can only get this time of year. Pick your favorite March events from this list, and you’re bound to have an amazing early spring trip!

Don’t forget to check out our web story: The 15 Best Things to do in New Orleans in March

The 15 Best to do in New Orleans in March

1. Attend the Saints & Sinners LGBTQ+ Literary Festival

Are you a book lover? You’re going to find quite a bit to love about New Orleans in March, starting with the Saints & Sinners LGBTQ+ Literary Festival. This three-day festival brings together the best in literature, with a focus on works written by and for the LGBTQ community. Listen to panel discussions and readings and participate in classes and workshops that all provide a forum for LGBTQ-focused literary arts.

2. Go to the Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival

For more literature love in March in New Orleans, head to the Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival. This five-day event is for both bookworms and theater fans. 

Immerse yourself in the literary arts with literature-focused walking tours, panels, and interviews while theater fans enjoy live performances. Aspiring writers can also hone their craft with writing sessions, and all guests will find something to love in the culinary, cocktail, and music events.

3. Get Reading at the New Orleans Book Festival

Readers will find even more to enjoy over at the New Orleans Book Festival, one of the best events in New Orleans in March. Hosted by Tulane University, this three-day festival brings people of all ages together over a love of reading and sharing ideas.

Listen to engaging panels, find your new favorite book at a reading, and learn about growing ideas, both in the literary world and in other sectors. 

4. Watch the St. Patrick’s Day Parades

St. Patrick’s Day brings about tons of different festivities, and partaking in these annual events is one of the best things to do in New Orleans in March. Several parades come out to celebrate this holiday, so even if you’re not in New Orleans directly on St. Patrick’s Day (March 17), you may still be around for some holiday events.

On the Friday ahead of St. Patrick’s Day, you can enjoy all the lively fun of the Downtown Irish Club Parade. Saturday brings about the Irish Channel Parade, where you just might catch some green beads and doubloons. Then, Sunday features the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Metairie Road, with over 100 floats, marching bands, and more!

5. Party at St. Patrick’s Day Block Parties

Beyond the many parades, New Orleans also has many block parties that celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and New Orleans’ Irish heritage. The Irish Channel Block Party kicks things off on Friday with Irish music, food, drinks, and dancing, all for good causes around New Orleans. 

Then, keep the fun going on Saturday with Parasol’s Block Party Celebration, hosted at the beloved Parasol’s Restaurant & Bar, and Tracey’s Block Party, which marks the end of the Irish Channel Parade and is hosted at Tracey’s Original Irish Channel Bar.   

6. Celebrate St. Joseph’s Day

St. Patrick may get a lot of the attention in March in New Orleans, but the city also celebrates St. Joseph’s Day. While St. Patrick’s Day honors the city’s Irish heritage, St. Joseph’s Day commemorates the city’s Italian and Sicilian history, as the holiday celebrates St. Joseph for providing relief to those suffering a famine in Sicily.

You can find altars dedicated to St. Joseph throughout the city around March 19, as well as the St. Joseph’s Day Parade. Hosted by the American Italian Marching Club, this parade features food, wine, and Italian music.

7. Experience Super Sunday

March in New Orleans is rife with cultural events that are unique to this diverse city, including Super Sunday. Occurring each year on the Sunday closest to St. Joseph’s Day, Super Sunday is a celebration of African-American and Native American cultures. 

Historically, Mardi Gras celebrations excluded anyone who was not white. In response, New Orleans’ African-American community created their own celebration, becoming the Mardi Gras Indians. 

They built a fantastic spectacle with song, dance, and stunning and elaborate costumes inspired by Native American and West African traditions. Though Mardi Gras today is for everyone, the celebration that was built during this time of exclusion continues on in the form of Super Sunday. 

8. Chow Down at a Crawfish Boil

March is peak crawfish season, so you have to pick some up while you’re visiting New Orleans in March. Some of the best places to get crawfish in New Orleans in spring include local favorite Frankie & Johnny’s, soul food spot Melba’s, and Viet-Cajun-style crawfish location BOIL Seafood House. 

9. Hear Live Music at Wednesday at the Square

Looking for one of the best free things to do in New Orleans in spring? Head to Lafayette Square on Wednesday nights for the free weekly series Wednesday at the Square. 

Enjoy music from local musicians and sip and snack your way around the square with treats from the local food vendors. Whether you want to dance the night away or simply picnic under the stars, it’s a wonderful way to spend an evening in New Orleans in March.

10. Honor New Orleans Women in Music

Looking for more music in March? Each March, in honor of Women’s History Month, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation puts on its annual Chanteuse concert series. 

This unique series celebrates the vital role that women have played in forming the New Orleans music scene and highlights the ongoing issue of a lack of women in prominent roles in the music industry.

11. Attend the New Orleans French Film Festival

If you’re a film buff, attending the New Orleans French Film Festival is definitely one of the top things to do in New Orleans in March. This festival, which is one of the longest-running foreign language festivals in the US, showcases both new and classic French-speaking films. All movies are presented in French or Kouri-Vini (Louisiana Creole) with English subtitles. 

12. Sip Your Way Around NOLA on Tap

March in New Orleans marks the return of Louisiana’s largest beer festival, NOLA on Tap. Featuring hundreds of craft beers, dozens of homebrews, and live entertainment like Brewtality Wrestling, this festival is sure to leave you very happy and probably more than a little bit tipsy!

13. Go to the Danny Barker Banjo + Guitar Festival

New Orleans has long been known for its music scene, which is why honoring one of the city’s best is one of the most unique things to do in New Orleans in March. The Danny Barker Banjo + Guitar Festival celebrates beloved jazz musician Danny Barker, who played such a formative role in New Orleans’ jazz legacy. 

Throughout the festival, you’ll find numerous acts performing throughout the city, panel discussions, parties, and special workshops all centered around what Barker brought to the city. 

14. Honor the African-American Community in NOLA

Two amazing festivals have been brought together to create one of the best events in New Orleans in March. The Tremé Creole Gumbo and Congo Square Rhythms festivals both take place in Louis Armstrong Park and pay homage to the Tremé neighborhood, African-American history in New Orleans, and the history of jazz and its influence on the Louisiana city. 

During these events, both hosted by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, enjoy live music, dancing, cultural traditions, art from local creators, and tons of traditional Creole foods.

15. Celebrate Spring with the Spring Fiesta

The New Orleans Spring Fiesta features two events in New Orleans in spring – one in late March and the other in early April. 

During the Spring Fiesta, you’ll see the annual parade with the Spring Fiesta Queen and her court, take home tours to see notable examples of New Orleans architecture, participate in an annual gala, and be delighted by unique culinary experiences. It’s a perfect festival to enjoy the beauty of spring in New Orleans! 

There you have it! The 15 best things to do in New Orleans in March. What are your favorites? Let us know in the comments!

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