Celebrate the Mississippi River and New Orleans Culture at NOLA River Fest
The New Orleans Jazz Museum will be celebrating the impact of the mighty Mississippi with NOLA River Fest on September 11, which will start at 11 a.m.
What to expect from NOLA River Fest 2026
NOLA River Fest will feature lectures and discussion panels focusing on the history of the Mississippi River and its impact on New Orleans, as well as performances from local artists and food and drinks from the city to celebrate its culture.
The festival starts at 11 a.m. with scheduled events taking place at the New Orleans Jazz Museum and Goldring Woldenburg Riverfront Park.
NOLA River Fest 2026 Lineup
DJ Archivist will get the festival started at 11 a.m. by bringing out the N'awlins D'awlins Baby Dolls to lead a second line, accompanied by Big Queen Mary K and the Original Wild Tchoupitoulas Indians, as well as the Treme Lafitte Brass Band.
New Orleans native, United Houma Nations member, and artist Greyhawk Perkins kicks off the main stage performances at 12:30 p.m.
Yusa brings her blend of jazz and Cuban rhythms to the main stage from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. before the internationally touring Kinfolk Brass Band closes the festival.
You can find a full list of performers at nolajazzmuseum.org.
NOLA River Fest 2026 Lecture Schedule
New Orleans Jazz Museum will host lectures and discussion panels for NOLA River Fest at the museum's performance center indoors. Talks will not only focus on the Mississippi River's history and impact in and on New Orleans but also the future impacts of and on the river.
The musician behind the calliope on Steamboat Natchez, Debbie Fagnano, will present an oral history of the river to start the festival's talks at 12 p.m.
Drew Hawkins will present a talk with a present and future focus at 4 p.m. with "Beaucoup Water," a talk about AI and water in Louisiana.
Louisiana Poet Laureate Gina Ferrera ends the festival's talks with a reading titled "Voices of the River" from 5 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.
