Recap: Beignet Fest 2026 Was a Whole Vibe (and Yes, I’m Still Dusted in Powdered Sugar)

Beignet Fest turned 9 this year, and honestly? This event alone might be worth an annual trip to New Orleans. On Saturday, Nov. 7, New Orleans City Park’s Festival Grounds became the most delicious place in the city, and USA TODAY readers already ranked it a Top 10 specialty food festival in the nation for 2026. After this year, I get it.

The Food: Beignets Don’t Fit Into A Mold

Forget the plain powdered-sugar situation (though that’s still iconic). This year’s menu had about 50 beignet dishes from 25 local vendors, and the theme was bring your craziest confection creation. Did we mention that Ruby Slipper Cafe served up a Fruity Pebbles Beignet? Sweet potato versions also showed up everywhere, because it is fall after all!

The menu had a few standouts:

• Ruby Slipper Cafe had a Nashville hot chicken beignet “sammie,” and Southern’s had a hot honey fried chicken beignet. Spicy plus sweet plus fried is a personality.
• Banh mi beignets came from Asian Outdoor Kitchen (grilled chicken) and Magasin Vietnamese Café (grilled pork). Magasin also had a crab rangoon beignet, which is unhinged in the best way.
• Loretta’s Authentic Pralines went full chaos with a PB&J beignet, a burger beignet, and their famous crabmeat beignet.
• NOLA Food Vault had a catfish po-boy beignet and a sweet potato praline ‘n cream beignet.
• Lillie’s Cajun Kitchen had a seafood beignet and a strawberry shortcake beignet.

Sweet tooth people also had bananas foster and chocolate praline options. Basically, if it could be stuffed, dusted, topped, or sandwiched, it was.

The Music: Good Energy Only

The lineup was proudly Louisiana and we were grooving to the music all day long. Imagination Movers kept things family-friendly, and while they were performing I couldn’t help but notice that there was just as many adults following their dance instructions than kids \. Amanda Shaw brought the Dolly Parton-approved energy when she performed multiple songs from her brand-new album, Maggie Koerner brought the powerhouse vocals, and supergroup Dragon Smoke brought the groove. DJ Flowerchild kept the vibes going between sets, so there was never a dead moment.

The Extras

• The Porch was brand new this year, a cozy front-porch-style spot where chefs like Kevin Belton and other local food personalities shared their stories. Food and lore? Love that.
• Artist Market was great for browsing local goods.
• Kids Village meant little ones had their own thing going (kids 10 and under got in free!).
• Abita Beer Garden and PJ’s Coffee Cafe covered both the 10 a.m. and the 3 p.m. energy dips.

Also, the fest isn’t just a snack run. Proceeds go to the Beignet Fest Foundation, which supports autistic youth and their families in Greater New Orleans. Eating for a good cause is the best excuse.

Before You Go for 2027

Learn from my mistakes, besties:

1. Bring a chair and blankets. Set up a little home base, sit down, and soak up the sun between rounds of beignets. Your future self will thank you.
2. Wear walking shoes. It’s still a park. Cute shoes are a trap, and you’ll be walking between vendors, stages, and the market.
3. Park as early as possible. City Park was PACKED. Get there early, because the lot situation is not a joke.
4. Pay for VIP! If you want a designated place in a covered area, coupled with indoor bathrooms and a perfect side view of the stage, then the VIP pass is 100% worth the money.
5. Have a game plan. When I tell you, those beignet lines were quite long by the time the afternoon attendance rush kicked in. If you’re going with a group of friends, make a game-plan and divide and conquer!

Pro tip: Stash your chair and blanket in the car so you can grab them as soon as you park, and bring napkins. Powdered sugar gets everywhere.

Final verdict: Great food, great music, great cause. See you in 2027. 🎶

Je’Kayla Crawford– Founder and Director– Je’Kayla has been a journalist for years and decided to start a publication of her own, New Scene Magazine, back in October 2020. When not helping her team and working on their print issues, you can find her watching a movie on Netflix or baking using a viral TikTok recipe.