Float Your Boat
The Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo is a weekend of music, food, art,
and community taking place right on Bayou St. John. The music festival will run May
17-19, with options for individual day tickets as well as full weekend passes.
The Bayou Boogaloo is a New Orleans festival well loved by
locals. As is tradition, the Boogaloo will uniquely offer a water ticket option
in addition to land. Festivalgoers will flock to the bayou with kayaks and
large floaties to sit on the water and enjoy the music all day long. Water
tickets for any individual day run for $15 and full weekend water passes are
$39.50. Single day land tickets are $20 and weekend passes are $39.50.
Each day of the Boogaloo will offer a stacked lineup of
musical performances by local favorites and musical talents. Day one offers Nik
West, Quintron and Miss Pussycat, and George Porter J. Day two is headlined by
GZA and the Morning 40 Federation. Lastly, on day three, Lez Zepplin and Afroman
will be rocking it out. A full list of performances is available on Bayou Boogaloo's website.
In addition to the incredible musical performances, each day
also offers a range of entertainment including standup comedy, drag
performances, and more. May 17 will offer the iconic Lefty Lucy hosting
burlesque bingo that is sure to be good time. The good times will continue
rolling on May 18 with Minx burlesque and a Bayou Roast Battle hosted
by Pickle. May 19 will close out the weekend with Eureeka's drag brunch,
Comedy Beast, and Joshua Starkman's Variety Hour. All these and more are sure
to make it a weekend of fun, laughter, and community connection.
Like any good New Orleans festival, Bayou Boogaloo will have
an array of mouth-watering food vendors to snack on while enjoying the
performances. This year's will include Bub's NOLA, a Mid-City favorite for
affordable and satisfying burgers. Clesi's Seafood will also be there serving
up their classic seafood dishes, perfect for enjoying on the water. Ajun Cajun
will also be at the Boogaloo, offering their Cajun twists on Asian classics.
Other local favorites at the fest will include Fritai, T-Swirl Crepes,
Southerns, and more.
The Bayou Boogaloo is a beautifully community centered event
and, like any good NOLA community event, art is also a key part of the weekend.
Over 40 local art vendors will be setting up shop for festival goers to see all
the talent NOLA has to offer and take home hand-made keepsakes. Some of the many
local artists attending include Ficus Ceramica with their fruit themed pottery,
Magnolia Studios with gorgeous stained glass, Gronola with their assorted
pickled everything, and so many more.
All in all, the Bayou Boogaloo is the perfect NOLA tradition and is sure to be a weekend of fun in the sun, great food, and community building.
Don't miss the opportunity to spend a day or three on the bayou in the perfect
May weather to celebrate all the culture and joy NOLA has to offer.
Fun Fact: For those who may not know, boogaloo (or more accurately, bugalú) has played a much larger role in history than merely as some fun alliteration in the festival title! Boogaloo is a Latin dance and music genre that grew out of mambo and cha cha, the genres that dominated New York City in the 1960s. Boogaloo is a fusion of African rhythm and blues, Cuban beats, and a combination of American influence and instrumentation.
