By Karen Brem, Marketing Director, Historic Mardi Gras Inn
COMING SOON!!!
Hey y’all, it’s Karen Brem, your ever-sassy Marketing Director for the Historic Mardi Gras Inn, and I’m here to dish the deets on one of New Orleans’ most fabulous fall fêtes—The International Arts Festival NOLA 2025! Mark those calendars, babes, because from September 25–28, 2025, the Crescent City is about to burst into a glittering, colorful explosion of art, music, and, naturally, food so good it’ll make you want to slap somebody’s mama (but please don’t—we like to keep it cute).
🎭 A Festival for Every Flavor
Let me tell you, this is not your average arts fest where you politely nod at some canvases and call it a day. Oh no, sugar—this festival is a smorgasbord of creativity. We’re talking:
- Live Music Stages pumping everything from reggae to jazz, funk, and beyond. And the lineup? Honey, it’s stacked. Steel Pulse, those reggae legends from across the pond, are set to ignite Congo Square with conscious vibes and infectious rhythms. Smooth jazz lovers, prepare yourselves for Pieces of a Dream and saxophone maestro Gerald Albright, who’ll have you swaying in ways you didn’t know you could. And because NOLA never forgets its own, Irvin Mayfield and Chief Donald Harrison Jr. are repping hard for the home team with brass, culture, and all the soul you can handle. To top it all off, the spiritual vibes of reggae giant Luciano will be washing over the city like a divine groove.
- Visual Arts & Installations that will have you pulling out your phone faster than you can say “#NOLAArtVibes.”
- Performances that blur the line between stage and street—dancers, poets, and maybe even that fire-breathing juggler who keeps popping up around the Quarter.
- And for my foodies (which, let’s be real, is everyone), the pièce de résistance: over 40 local restaurants slinging everything from beignets and crawfish étouffée to vegan gumbo and gourmet po’boys. Come hungry, leave gloriously stuffed.
This festival really has something for everyone—whether you’re a jazz junkie, a reggae devotee, a visual arts lover, or just someone who wants to taste-test their way through New Orleans in four decadent days.
📍 Where It’s All Happening
The International Arts Festival sprawls across three iconic NOLA venues—Orpheum Theater, Congo Square at Louis Armstrong Park, and The Fillmore—letting you wander from one art form to another like you’re on a never-ending parade route of creativity. And the beauty of it? After a day of art-gazing, sax-swooning, and plate-licking, you’re just a quick skip, hop, or streetcar ride away from the Historic Mardi Gras Inn—your perfect crash pad for all the fun.
🏨 Why Stay With Us? Honey, Let Me Count the Ways
First things first: our inn has had a major glow-up recently. Yes, darling, we’re talking a site-wide renovation that left us looking fresher than a drag queen at Southern Decadence.
But here’s the real tea:
- We’re proudly LGBTQ+ owned and operated. This isn’t just an inn—it’s a home base for everyone, with love, sass, and acceptance baked right in.
- We’re only one block off the French Quarter, which means you’re never more than a strut away from cocktails, live jazz, and those infamous Quarter shenanigans.
- The streetcar stop is literally a two-minute walk from our front door, giving you easy access to explore the city without even breaking a sweat (unless, of course, you’re working off that extra plate of jambalaya).
- And what do we promise? Just the essentials that really matter: clean, affordable accommodations and a warm, welcoming staff who are dedicated to making your stay amazing. Period.
🍹 Arts by Day, Quarter by Night
Let’s be real—this festival is just the warm-up act. The real encore? The adult playground that is the French Quarter waiting for you when the sun goes down. After you’ve swayed to Gerald Albright’s smooth sax, jammed out to Steel Pulse under the stars, or danced your soul clean to Luciano’s reggae rhythms, you’ll be more than ready for a round (or three) of French Quarter cocktails, live music clubs, and that oh-so-famous “only in New Orleans” vibe.
And trust me, darling, it hits different when you know your cozy inn is just around the corner to stumble back to after your nightly adventures.
📣 Book It Before It’s Gone!
Now here’s where I need you to listen closely—rooms for this weekend are going to fly faster than Mardi Gras beads on Bourbon Street. With four full days of arts, music, and food heaven happening September 25–28, this is your chance to plan an extended weekend you won’t forget.
So don’t wait, sugarplum. Book your stay at the Historic Mardi Gras Inn today. Whether you’re here to feast your eyes, your ears, your taste buds—or maybe all three—we’re the perfect home base for your International Arts Festival NOLA 2025 adventure.
FOR INFORMATION ON ACCOMMODATIONS CALL US DIRECTLY AT 504.949.5815 OR 1.800.209.9409. YOU MAY ALSO VISIT US ONLINE AT historicmardigrasinn.com.
🎉 Final Note from Karen
Art. Music. Food. Queer joy. New Orleans magic. And a lineup hotter than a Frenchmen Street horn section. It’s all wrapped up in one glorious long weekend, and I cannot wait to welcome you here. Pack your sass, pack your stretchy pants, and let’s make September 25–28 one for the books.
See you at the fest, babes! 💃✨