October in South Louisiana
Things to Do in October 2026: New Orleans, Baton Rouge and the Northshore
Festivals, football and Halloween across South Louisiana.
October is the reward for surviving a Louisiana summer. The air finally lets go, and festival season is on.
We work in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and the Northshore, so here's what we'd tell a friend to put on the calendar this month.
Dates are current as of late September. Check the link before you go.
Things to do in New Orleans in October 2026
A festival nearly every weekend, and plenty of them free.
NOLAxNOLA
More than 300 shows in the clubs where local musicians play all year. Pick a neighborhood and follow the sound.
Details →National Fried Chicken Festival
A whole weekend of fried chicken and live music on the Lakefront. Come hungry and bring sunscreen.
Tickets →Saints home games
Falcons week on a Monday night. The Dome doesn't get louder than that.
Schedule →Oktoberfest at Deutsches Haus
Beer, pretzels and sauerbraten on Bayou St. John. $10, kids 12 and under free. Fridays after work are the sweet spot.
Details →Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival
Free, and the 20th-anniversary lineup is stacked: Ruthie Foster, Samantha Fish, Booker T. Jones and George Porter Jr. Take the St. Charles streetcar.
Details →NOLA Funk Fest
Galactic, Dumpstaphunk, Irma Thomas and an Allen Toussaint tribute on the river. Funk, in its hometown.
Passes →Praise Fest
Gospel on Bayou St. John. Bring a blanket and plan to sing along.
Details →Halloween in New Orleans and the Krewe of BOO!
Only New Orleans gives Halloween its own parade. Free, kid-friendly and full of throws. On October 31, just walk Frenchmen Street for the costumes.
Parade info →Things to do in Baton Rouge in October 2026
Plan everything around kickoff, then fill in the rest.
LSU and Southern football
October 3 is the big one, with both teams home and Southern's Homecoming. Go for the Human Jukebox alone. Then Mississippi State comes to Death Valley on October 17.
LSU schedule → Southern schedule →Knock Knock's Storybook Soirée
The children's museum's grown-up gala, 21 and over. This year's theme is King Arthur, so costumes are encouraged.
Tickets →Bachtoberfest
The symphony plays Bach outdoors while you picnic on the lawn. $40, $20 for kids and students.
Tickets →Baton Rouge Burger Week
Two weeks of local burgers. Grab a friend and build your own route.
Restaurants →Greater Baton Rouge State Fair
Rides, livestock and funnel cake for 11 nights. Go on a weeknight, and bring a clear bag.
Details →Spirits of Louisiana
Louisiana craft spirits inside the "castle on the river." This year's theme is French nightlife, so dress the part. $100, 21 and over.
Tickets →Louisiana Book Festival
Free, downtown and full of authors. Go in the morning, then head home for trick-or-treating.
Schedule →Things to do on the Northshore in October 2026
Slower, sunnier and packed with free music.
Garden Spot of Mandeville Fall Festival
An easy, family-friendly start to the month in Mandeville.
Details →Abita Fall Fest
If you pick one Northshore event, make it this one. Five bands, closing with Dumpstaphunk, and Abita beer right where it's brewed.
Tickets →Saturday, October 3: pick your festival
The busiest day on the Northshore calendar. Our move: Slidell by day, Abita by night.
Olde Towne Pumpkin Festival, Slidell. Pony rides and pumpkin chunkin'. Details →
Wild Game, Seafood & BBQ Cook-Off, Slidell. 20+ cooking teams, same neighborhood. Lunch, handled.
MOPtoberfest. Time and location on Visit the Northshore. Events →
SMH Foundation's Rooftop Rendezvous, Slidell. Dancing under the stars to the Chee-Wees. Details →
Northshore Cajun Dance, Abita Springs Town Hall. Free lessons at 7, live band at 7:30. $12. Details →
Northshore Beer Festival
Louisiana craft beer for a good cause: the Miracle League Northshore.
Tickets →Rockin' the Rails
Free Thursday concerts in downtown Covington. Bring a chair, then walk to Lee Lane for dinner.
Lineup →Jazz'n the Vines
Live music and a sunset over the vines. $12 for adults, kids free. Bring a blanket.
Details →Halloween weekend on the Northshore
October 31 is stacked, and most of it is free.
WideWater Music & Art Festival, Mandeville lakefront. Free music, art and food trucks, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Details →
Abita Springs Trunk-or-Treat. Free fall fun at the Trailhead from 2 p.m., Trunk-or-Treat 6 to 8. Details →
NOLA Zydeco Fest on the Bayou, Slidell. October 31 and November 1 at Heritage Park, with a gumbo cook-off. Take the train in from New Orleans or paddle up by kayak. Tickets →
October 2026 in South Louisiana: frequently asked questions
What are the best free things to do in New Orleans in October 2026?
The Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival (October 9 to 11, Lafayette Square) and the Krewe of BOO! Halloween parade (October 24, French Quarter) are both free. On the Northshore, Rockin' the Rails in Covington is free every Thursday.
When are the Saints home games in October 2026?
The Saints play two home games at Caesars Superdome: Monday, October 5 vs. the Atlanta Falcons at 7:15 p.m. and Sunday, October 11 vs. the Minnesota Vikings at noon.
When does LSU play at home in October 2026?
LSU hosts McNeese on October 3 and Mississippi State on October 17 in Tiger Stadium. Southern University's Homecoming is also October 3, against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
What Halloween events are on the Northshore in 2026?
On October 31, the WideWater Music & Art Festival fills the Mandeville lakefront, Abita Springs hosts a free Trunk-or-Treat at the Trailhead, and NOLA Zydeco Fest opens in Slidell's Heritage Park with a Trick or Trunk.
What are the best October food festivals in Louisiana?
The National Fried Chicken Festival (October 2 to 4, New Orleans Lakefront), the Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival (October 9 to 11), Oktoberfest at Deutsches Haus (weekends October 9 to 24), Baton Rouge Burger Week (October 19 to 31) and the Wild Game, Seafood & BBQ Cook-Off in Slidell (October 3).
See you out there
You don't really know a neighborhood until you've spent a Saturday in it.
If one of these weekends has you thinking about living a little closer, our agents would love to show you around.
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