August 2025 Festivals in Louisiana: Top Events from New Orleans to Opelousas

August 2025 Festivals in Louisiana: Explore top Louisiana festivals in August 2025 with dates, cities, and highlights from New Orleans, Delcambre, Baton Rouge, Opelousas & more.

DISCLAIMER
Louisiana weather is subject to quick changes and last minute hurricanes. Additionally, life happens and prepare for the unexpected. Before traveling to any festivals, please be sure to double check events via the link provided as events could have been rescheduled or cancelled.

The Top Events from New Orleans to Opelousas brings you a curated list of the state’s most exciting cultural celebrations, from major metro highlights like Satchmo SummerFest and White Linen Night in New Orleans to coastal traditions like the Delcambre Shrimp Festival and the iconic Zydeco Music Festival in Opelousas. Whether you’re drawn to brass bands, Creole cuisine, pickleball tournaments, or small-town duck calling contests, Louisiana in August offers an unforgettable lineup of music, art, food, and heritage. This guide covers everything by city and date to help you plan your summer travels across the Bayou State.

WHITE LINEN NIGHT

NEW ORLEANS | August 2

White Linen Night transforms the Arts District into a cultural promenade where thousands dress in white and stroll through Julia Street galleries. Local artists open their doors for the city’s most elegant summer block party, featuring contemporary art, food trucks, and live music. Known for its mingling of style and sophistication, the event reflects both the commercial and creative pulse of modern New Orleans art. It is a favored night for collectors, creators, and curious newcomers alike.
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DIRTY LINEN NIGHT

NEW ORLEANS | August 9

Dirty Linen Night invites attendees back to Royal Street for a cheeky follow-up to White Linen. With wine glasses in hand and linen now “dirty,” art lovers revisit the French Quarter’s galleries under the charm of evening gaslight. The event captures the French Quarter’s historic elegance and artistic eccentricity, creating a more casual, quirky vibe compared to its uptown counterpart. It’s as much a celebration of local humor as it is a support of local art.
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SHRIMP FESTIVAL

DELCAMBRE | August 13–17

The Delcambre Shrimp Festival, located near Vermilion Bay, is a coastal culinary tradition featuring shrimp cook-offs, pageants, carnival rides, and a grand parade. Originating in the 1950s, the event pays tribute to Louisiana’s seafood industry, particularly the shrimpers whose catch feeds the Gulf South. Thousands gather to taste gumbo, étouffée, and boiled shrimp while enjoying zydeco music and boat blessings. It’s one of Louisiana’s most flavorful summer festivals and a deep expression of Cajun pride.
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BR UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL

BATON ROUGE | August 21–24

The Baton Rouge Underground Film Festival showcases independent films that challenge, provoke, and inspire. Hosted at venues like the Manship Theatre and arts co-ops, the festival highlights local, national, and international filmmakers with a preference for experimental and socially relevant content. Panel discussions and filmmaker Q&As create space for dialogue around representation, storytelling, and southern identity. It’s an increasingly important platform for Louisiana’s creative class.

DUCK FESTIVAL

GUEYDAN | August 23–24

The Gueydan Duck Festival blends Cajun music, traditional food, and waterfowl-themed festivities in what is known as the “Duck Capital of America.” Located in Vermilion Parish, the festival includes skeet shooting competitions, duck-calling contests, and a duck-cookery showdown. Originating in the 1970s, it celebrates Gueydan’s hunting heritage while serving as a fundraiser for local causes. Families flock to the event for parades, carnival rides, and a rural Louisiana experience like no other.
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SHRIMP AND PETROLEUM FESTIVAL

MORGAN CITY | August 27–September 1

The oldest chartered harvest festival in Louisiana, Morgan City’s Shrimp and Petroleum Festival celebrates two of the region’s economic lifelines with pageantry, parades, fireworks, culinary competitions, and live music. The event draws crowds from across the state for a blend of industry pride and bayou revelry. It’s a Labor Day tradition that bridges the coast’s working-class backbone and cultural flair. EVENT PAGE

KATRINA MARCH & SECOND LINE

NEW ORLEANS | August 29

Each and every year since Hurricane Katrina, we have marked the anniversary by organizing a community led commemoration. Annually, we start the morning in the Lower 9th Ward where the levees broke, with a healing ceremony and a reading of the names of those who died. We then march through the streets until a brass band joins us at our half-way point to lead us the rest of the way in the New Orleans’ Second Line tradition. We end with a rally with speakers and performers. Join us this year for the 20-year anniversary.
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CANE RIVER ZYDECO FESTIVAL AND POKER RUN

NATCHITOCHES | August 29–30

Set along the scenic Cane River, this two-day event mixes zydeco music, a motorcycle poker run, and a vibrant street fair in historic Natchitoches. Festival-goers enjoy food trucks, local artisans, and a high-energy celebration of Creole culture. With dance floors pulsing to accordion and washboard rhythms, it’s a late-summer gathering steeped in Louisiana rhythm and soul.
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