The 9th Annual Oak Street Po-Boy Festival presented by Abita will be taking place this Saturday, November 22nd from 10a – 6p on Oak Street in the Carrollton/Riverbend neighborhood of Uptown New Orleans. For one day out of the year, residents and visitors of New Orleans will be able to enjoy all of their favorite po boy sandwiches in one place—Oak Street. With a Po-Boy Fest Race at 8a in the morning, an Art Market, a meet-and-greet with the Abita Brewers and a hint of history at the Oak Street History Center, this is a Festival for everyone of all ages and backgrounds. Oh, did I mention this is a Free Festival?
The Food, the Music, the Art
New Orleans is best known for a handful of factors that make it unique to the rest of the United States. Our food is some of the best, most distinctive food. Our music is heard every day in every corner of every street. And, our artists take great pride in their work. And, when you hear the word ‘Festival’ in New Orleans, you are guaranteed to be introduced to our food, our music and our artists. Po-Boy Fest is no different. Po-Boy Fest takes place on Oak Street between Carrollton Ave and Eagle Ave, as well as the Mater Dolorosa Catholic Church and Leonidas Street between Oak Street and Willow Street. The expansion is to encourage community renewal and neighborhood involvement. The main stage for music will be at the corner of Leonidas and Willow.
Po-Boy Fest: The Food
There will be over 40 food vendors at the Fest. Some of the ones I’m most looking forward to include: Ajun Cajun, GW Fins (Fried Maine Lobster Po Boy), and Woody’s Fish Tacos. If Po-Boys aren’t your thing, don’t fret. There’s plenty of delicious food to be eaten. Oak Street Vendors will be out as well, including Tru Burger, Pho Bitreaux, Chiba, Ninja, D’Juice, Mellow Mushroom and the list goes on! Better bring your appetite. And, the beer will be flowing. There will be at least six stations serving beer and other drinks.
Po-Boy Fest: The Music
The music never stops in New Orleans. There will be six different free music stages during Po Boy Fest! Over at Oak Wine Bar, you can catch some solo pianists and guitarists; at Live Oak Café, listen to the tunes of the Dave Mullen Trio and Joey van Leeuwen Trip; at Maple Leaf Bar right on Oak Street, you can catch the official afterparty starting at 6p with Joe Krown Trio featuring Walter “Wolfman” Washington and Russell Batiste; on the Main Stage @ Leonidas, you can catch Pigeon Town, Naughty Professor, Tank & the Bangas, and at 4p Rebirth Brass Band takes the stage. And, on the other Main Stage at Oak & Eagle, catch Sexual Thunder!, Jon Cleary & the Absolutely Monster Gentlemen, Los Po Boy Citos and Johnny Sketch & the Dirty Notes.
Po-Boy Fest: The Art
Where Y’Art Market returns this year with an eclectic and talented lineup of artists from the surrounding areas. It will be located at the Mater Dolorosa Catholic Church on Carrollton between Oak and Dublin Streets. Some of the artists include Alan Zakem, Andrew Jackson Pollack, Porter Lyons, Catherine DeYoung Enamels, Connie Kittok, Eric Nunez, Arts Kinetic, Jon Guillaume, Kat Ryalls, Gator Girl Art, Sarah Nelson and Ridgewalker Glass. There will also be an official Po-Boy Fest Merch Center set up at Transform NOLA (8422 Oak Street) and InkWell Press (8523 Oak Street). This is a great place to get your holiday shopping out of the way! Shop local!
What You Should Know if You Plan to Attend Po-Boy Fest
As with any Festival in the Greater New Orleans area, your safety is extremely important. Therefore, most Festivals, including this one, will have some rules in place as to what you can or cannot bring. My first rule of thumb is if you plan to drink at Po-Boy Fest…do not drive. You put yourself at risk of not only being charged with a DUI but you can put yours or someone else’s life at risk. Do not take the chance.
The St. Charles Streetcar goes all the way to the Fest, not to mention you could take a taxi-cab or an Uber. Biking is also encouraged as there are bike racks in the vicinity. The Festival is FREE and open to the public. That means bring your mom n’ dem. And, you can even bring your dog (at your own risk).
Because this is a free festival, respect the vendors, and do not bring any outside food or drink. This helps support the community and those who work hard to put it on each year. There will be ATMs throughout the festival, but I highly advise bringing cash prior to arrival. Other tips: do not bring any weapons, of any kind. There will be thousands of people in the area and this is for the safety of everyone. Do not bring illegal drugs. Again, there will be NOPD and other law enforcement in the area so even if you think you want to smoke marijuana, you can still get charged with a drug crime. Be weary of the weather. There’s a slight chance of rain. Wear rainboots, bring an umbrella and poncho and enjoy yourself. This is New Orleans, Rain doesn’t stop our fun.
What if I get Arrested at Po-Boy Fest?
If you or someone you know happens to have too much fun, and is arrested in New Orleans at Po-Boy Fest, then you should consider calling a criminal defense lawyer immediately. Even if you are cited for underage drinking or other alcohol crimes, or you are arrested for a DUI or drug or weapon related crimes, it is smart to be in touch with an experienced New Orleans defense lawyer. Crescent City Law has worked through many citations and arrests at Festivals and around the city. You can call them for a free initial consultation at (504) 264-9492 or e-mail, Tweet or send us a message on Facebook. We’re available nights, weekends and off-site so you can expect to hear from us fairly soon. We hope you have a great Po-Boy Fest!!
Call (504) 264-9492 For Your Free Initial Consultation
Crescent City Law is here to help you if you think you have a case against your traffic tickets or parking ticket. Again, it is not likely we can get a reduced or dismissed parking ticket but you can give us a call at (504) 264-9492 to see if there is a case or you can e-mail us. We are available nights, weekends and off-site and have translators available in Spanish, French, Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese.
