Bayou Bacchanal

Bayou Bacchanal is the official Caribbean festival of New Orleans. In 2001, people who are originally from the Caribbean formed Friends of Culture, a non-profit organization, to create of voice for the Caribbean people who are living in New Orleans. One of the main goals of the organization is to share the Caribbean culture with Louisiana and surrounding states.

The festival is one of the many unique events of New Orleans. The most remarkable features of Bayou Bacchanal are the masqueraders who dance through the city streets to the pulsating beats of steel drums, which are indigenous instruments of Trinidad and Tobago. Moreover, Bayou Bacchanal, like other Caribbean festivals, encourages full participation for visitors in the parade who normally dress in exotic-islander costumes, but it is not required. Anyone may join the parade as it snakes its way to Lafayette Square to finish the festival with concerts, authentic Caribbean cuisine, arts and crafts.

Bayou Bacchanal is only one stop for the festival lovers. Throughout the year, party goers will follow the Caribbean party to cities all over North America. For example, a group of people may participate in the Caribbean festival in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, drive to Atlanta, Georgia for another, afterward leave to Miami, Florida's event and then make a final stop in New Orleans, Louisiana for the Bayou Bacchanal. Every year almost every major city in North America holds a Caribbean festival.

Bayou Bacchanal takes place every first Saturday of November where the weather is near perfect in New Orleans for outside activities.