George Long
1. The Abita Springs Busker Festival
April 7, 2019
- Leave it to the quirky town of Abita Springs to bring in some of the region's best buskers (street musicians who perform for tips) for one of St. Tammany's fastest-growing festivals
- Dedicated to the preservation of Louisiana roots music and sponsored by the Abita Opry
- Abita Springs Art and Farmers Market adds to the delicious mix
- Held at the Abita Beer Stage in Abita Springs Park (the original home of Abita Beer is around the corner and the current brewery, the largest in the Southeast, is a few miles away)
- Free admission
For more information about the Busker Festival: www.trailheadmuseum.org/busker-festival/
2. A Taste of Covington
April 10-14, 2019
- A five-day celebration of epicurean delights held each spring in Covington
- Vintner dinners at area restaurants
- Grand Tasting - sip over 50 wines, enjoy live music at Aquistapace's Wine Warehouse
- Festa del Vino - fine wine tasting at the St. Tammany Art Association sponsored by Covington Mayor Mike Cooper
- Don't miss Spring for Art on Saturday, an evening of gallery openings, live music, and art demonstrations in downtown Covington.
- Sunday Champagne Jazz Brunch
Reservations needed for most events. Check out www.atasteofcovington.com for dates and details.
3. The Great Louisiana Birdfest in Mandeville
April 12-14, 2019
- Workshops and self-drive tours for birders in the 80,000 acres of wildlife preserve in St. Tammany Parish
- Hosted by the Northlake Nature Center in Mandeville
- Popular birding spots include the 400-acre Northlake Nature Center, Pearl River Wildlife Management Area, the Big Branch National Wildlife Reserve, and the Nature Conservancy's Abita Flatwood Preserve.
- As many as 150 different species, including the elusive red cockaded woodpecker, have been seen during previous BirdFests.
For dates and details regarding the Great Louisiana BirdFest, visit http://northlakenature.org
4. Slidell's All You Can Eat Crawfish Cook-Off
April 27, 2019
- Biggest crawfish festival in Louisiana takes place in Fritchie Park, Slidell
- 45,000 lbs. of spicy boiled crawfish from 60 teams competing for bragging rights and "Best Crawfish in St. Tammany Parish"
- A fund-raiser hosted by the Hospice Foundation of the South at the peak of crawfish season.
- Live music
- All You Can Eat crawfish with admission, and other food like burgers & hot dogs available, too.
Learn more about the Crawfish Cook-off and its beneficiary at www.hospicefoundationofthesouth.org
5. The Slidell Heritage Festival
June 29, 2019
- Celebrate America's birthday with live music & FIREWORKS in beautiful Heritage Park
- Camellia City Art-In-the-Park area with artisans and crafters exhibiting their works
- Games & activities for children
- Come hungry for lots of great Louisiana festival food: boudin balls, crawfish beignets, shrimp on a stick, Cajun pasta and more
For details, visit www.slidellheritagefest.org.
6. St. Tammany Crab Festival September 14-15, 2019
- 2-day celebration with non-stop live music and non-stop dancing in scenic Heritage Park in Slidell
- Savor succulent Lake Pontchartrain crabs served a variety of ways (spicy boiled, golden fried soft shell crab poboys) as well as Louisiana crawfish, shrimp, snoballs and more.
- Kids games & activities, crafts
- Mr. Crabs Car Show (classic cars &, stunt bikes, trucks, 4x4s and more)
- Boat rides on Bayou Bonfouca
For more info, check out the fest’s official website, www.sttammanycrabfestival.com.
7. A Taste of Olde Towne
October 11-14, 2018
- Gourmands, art lovers, wine aficionados and more enjoy four days of events celebrating
the cuisine scene, music and art in Slidell's historic cultural district. - Vintner's Dinners
- Grand Wine Tasting
- Premium Tasting event
- Champagne Jazz Brunch with live music
For more info and to purchase tickets, visit www.atasteofoldetowne.com
8. Wooden Boat Festival
October 13 - 14, 2018
- Celebrate St. Tammany's maritime history along the banks of the Tchefuncte River in the quaint town of Madisonville
- Largest collection of classic and vintage hand-crafted wooden boats on the Gulf Coast
- The Quick 'n' Dirty Boat Building contest is a crowd favorite. Costumed teams blitz-build a themed boat in 14 hours then compete in a raucous 100-yard race with hilarious results.
- Live music, Beer Garden, and Children's Village
- Kids Boat Shop - free wooden boat souvenirs for children to take home
- Admission is only $10 for adults and free for kids 12 and under, seniors and active military
For more info, visit www.woodenboatfest.org.
9. Fall and Spring Slidell Antique Street Fairs
October 27 - 28, 2018 and March 23 - 24, 2019
- More than 200 booths showcasing antiques, Depression-era glass, collectibles, stained glass, pottery
- Annual two-day family event in the historic Olde Towne Slidell district, held in both the Fall and Spring
- Great food and live music on three stages
- Free admission and parking
For more information, visit www.slidellantiques.com
10. Covington's Three Rivers Art Festival, November 10 - 11, 2018
- Juried outdoor art market on Columbia Street in historic St. John District of Covington with over 200 artists from around the Southeast region.
- Shop for high-quality works in ceramics, paintings, photography, fiber art, woodworking, metalwork, sculptures, jewelry and more.
- Children's Discovery Area with face-painting, arts, and crafts projects, and award-winning storytellers, musicians, and dancers who perform theater, opera, jazz, Cajun music, magic tricks and more.
- Arts Alive! tent with live art demonstrations like pottery making, glass blowing, and blacksmithing.
- Fun Louisiana food like crawfish étouffée, shrimp & grits, gator bites, fried shrimp and more.
- Free admission.
For more info, visit www.threeriversartfestival.com
