Explore August in New Orleans: 10 Must-Do Events & Activities
August in New Orleans calls for a special wardrobe beyond the shorts and sun hats that summertime requires. With Red Dress Run and White Linen Night on the horizon, locals and visitors will be donning their red and white and making their way through the Bywater, French Quarter and downtown New Orleans. Dining deals and attractions specials are also highlights of the month, along with Satchmo SummerFest and the return of preseason Saints games. Here are our top 10 things to do this August in New Orleans.
*Editor's Note: White Linen Night has been postponed indefinitely. However, select galleries will remain open on August 7 from 6-9 p.m.
*Editor's Note: Red Dress Run has been cancelled.
1
Take advantage of dining deals starting this July in New Orleans with COOLinary. Indulge in two-course lunch, or three-course dinner and brunch deals from July 14-September 5, 2021. Participants include Antoine’s Restaurant, Brigtsen’s Restaurant, Tujague’s Restaurant and Café Degas, among more than 70 others.
2
New Orleans is rich with museums for every type of traveler, from history museums to food and beverage museums to art museums galore. Stop into The National WWII Museum, The Ogden Museum of Southern Art, The Contemporary Arts Center and others and stay cool with a visit to these museums all month long.
3
Satchmo SummerFest returns July 31-August 1, celebrating the life and music of Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong. Make your way to the French Quarter for a weekend full of good food and great music, including performances from various brass bands, plus Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers, Meschiya Lake & the Little Big Horns and Robin Barnes & the Fiyabirds.
4
*Editor's Note: White Linen Night has been postponed indefinitely. However, select galleries will remain open on August 7 from 6-9 p.m.
Fidelity Bank White Linen Night is an annual block party-art walk in which galleries open their doors in a celebration of the city’s art scene. Local restaurants and bars set up shop along the route for tasty bites and champagne. Music blasts through downtown and new exhibits are set to debut. The party continues at the Contemporary Arts Center, which serves as a hub for the event. And don’t forget to wear your white linen. White Linen Night is August 7 from 6-9 p.m.
5
*Editor's Note: Red Dress Run has been cancelled.
Every year on the second Saturday in August, the New Orleans Hash House Harriers (a local “drinking club with a running problem”) host Red Dress Run, a charity “run” in the Crescent City. Loved by locals and visitors alike, the run starts at Crescent Park and makes its way through the French Quarter. Participants traditionally wear red dresses and keep the party going with food and music afterwards. Register for the event here, which will be held on August 14.
6
The Superdome is ready to welcome back fans for the Saints 2021/2022 season, which begins this August with two preseason games. Watch the Saints take on the Jacksonville Jaguars in August 23 and the Arizona Cardinals on August 28 right here at home. Please see the Superdome’s health and safety plan here ahead of your game.
7
In person cooking classes are back at the Southern Food & Beverage Museum, which means you can learn first-hand how to cook a variety of New Orleans specialties. Chef Dee Lavigne leads the class in a taste of Louisiana, featuring jambalaya or gumbo, maque choux or tomato salad and Bananas Foster. Classes are available on Mondays and Thursdays and include admission, lunch, recipes and a private museum tour. Book here.
8
In New Orleans, you can find live music around the clock. If you’re looking to catch a specific set on any given day, check out our blog on live music, seven nights a week. From soulful jazz at the Howlin’ Wolf to funky jams at the New Orleans Jazz Museum, there’s something for everyone.
9
Whether it’s a rainy day or just too hot outside, take refuge indoors with a visit to an attraction with this itinerary. Shop at The Riverwalk, visit the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas and grab a bite to eat at one of our many delicious restaurants all while staying cool and dry.
10
Take a dip and soak up some sun at a hotel pool. You need not be a guest of the hotel to lounge poolside at the NOPSI, The Ace Hotel or The Chloe–though some require day passes. Check out the list here and make plans to slather on the sunscreen.
