Summer Festivals in New Orleans

Just as summer's heating up, New Orleans is bursting with fun, exciting events that will tickle the palate, soothe the ears and move the soul.

Celebrate National Ice Cream Day in July with a triple scoop at the Zephyrs minor league baseball game, or get your fingers ready to play at a local arcade and enjoy National Video Games Day, also in July. If ice cream and videos aren't your thing, though, don't worry. New Orleans has something for everyone.

Get ready to dance at the annual Essence Fest, three days of performances by well-known artists and entertainers such as Luther Vandross, Cedric the Entertainer and Alicia Keys. The festival draws over a million visitors every year, and there are more than 40 performances from which to choose.In addition to great music, visitors can attend empowerment seminars headed by African-American scholars and leaders from various social, political and religious organizations. The festival also features a marketplace with popular New Orleans food, arts and crafts, celebrity meetings and the opportunity to purchase festival souvenirs. Essence Fest starts on the Fourth of July.

New Orleans celebrates native son Louis Armstrong in a weekend long Satchmo-Summerfest at the end of July. Events are free and include seminars, discussions, club crawls, art and photo exhibits and a jazz mass in addition to a long list of other events. The highlight of the Satchmo-Summerfest is a conference on Armstrong's legacy and innovations in music that include five seminars daily with jazz historians and scholars. Finally, get ready to tickle your palate with red beans and rice, the festival's most popular dish, most notably for Armstrong's famous saying "Red Beans and Ricely Yours.""

Enjoy the end of summer sunshine at the New Orleans Hurricane Festival. The Hurricane Festival features some of today's popular rock and roll bands in a day-long concert with performances on a main stage and a second stage. Sit back, enjoy the music and feast on Jambalaya, crawfish cake and hot dogs while enjoying good music. The New Orleans Hurricane Festival is held at the Fly, a venue located by the Audubon Zoo.

Summers are hot in the city, and New Orleans is certainly no exception. From music and ice cream to games, there's lots to enjoy and lots to do in New Orleans!