Street Festival
Sunday, March 25 - 11 AM to 6 PM
Four blocks in the French Market will be lined with dozens of top Roadfood cooks from New Orleans and all of Louisiana as well as from all across America, each offering a unique specialty. This is NOT typical and expected festival fare: it is a taste of America's most celebrated dishes, all gathered in one place: a foodie's dream. Portions are right-sized and priced to provide everyone a chance to taste the maximum number of great regional eats as they stroll through the French Market inhaling delicious smells that range from real Texas pit barbecue to Pecan Pie to artisan boudin sausage made by Cajun country's most beloved butchers. There is no admission fee; just bring plenty of appetite!
Book Signings
| Saturday, March 24th | 1:00 PM | Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift |
| Saturday, March 24th | 3:00 PM | Jane and Michael Stern |
| Saturday, March 24th | 3:00 PM | Poppy Tooker |
| Sunday, March 25th | 3:00 PM | Jane and Michael Stern |
Cooking Demonstrations
| Saturday, March 24th | 12:00 PM | Café Reconcile’s Award Winning Bananas Foster Bread Pudding |
| Saturday, March 24th | 2:00 PM | Poppy Tooker's Traditional Rice Calas |
| Saturday, March 24th | 4:00 PM | A Cocktail Tour Through History with Elizabeth Pearce |
| Sunday, March 25th | 12:00 PM | Café Reconcile’s Award Winning Bananas Foster Bread Pudding |
| Sunday, March 25th | 2:00 PM | A Cocktail Tour Through History with Elizabeth Pearce |
| Sunday, March 25th | 4:00 PM | Prejean’s Flash Fried Wood Duck with Wild Mushroom and Peppercorn Cream |
Live Music
| Saturday, March 24th | 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM | Johnny J and the Hitmen (Alternative) |
| Saturday, March 24th | 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM | Billy Iuso & Restless Natives (funk/rock) |
| Saturday, March 24th | 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM | Benny Turner (blues) |
| Sunday, March 25th | 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM | Davis Rogan |
| Sunday, March 25th | 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM | Brass A Holics |
Kickoff Party - Behind the scenes with the "Splendid Table"
This special evening in the heart of the French Quarter begins at 6:30 in the Grand Ballroom of the Royal Sonesta Hotel with open-bar cocktails and a presentation of Big Easy hors d'oeuvres for all. Guests have the opportunity to meet & greet Poppy Tooker, host of public radio's "Louisiana Eats!" and Lynne Rossetto Kasper, host of "The Splendid Table." Lynne and "Splendid Table" producer, Sally Swift, will be signing their book How To Eat Weekends, Doug Sohn of Hot Doug's will be receiving the Blue Plate award, and Jane & Michael Stern will be signing the newest edition of their book Roadfood.
Tickets are limited, you can order them directly from Roadfood.com
Beignet Eating Contest
The ultimate French Quarter eating competition! The New Orleans Fire Department will field a team of its top eaters to determine which of them can eat the most beignets in the least amount of time. Whereas normal eaters consume the city's beloved silky fritters in lots of two or three along with cafe au lait, in this fast-paced contest, the men in uniform devour them by the dozen, and the powdered sugar flies! The winning team takes home the World Champion Beignet Eating Belt. And this year, for the first time, the contest will feature an open competition for all who have the appetite and courage to compete in the Beignet Big League.
