Festivals & Events Happening this Weekend: October 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

The Cattle Festival happens this weekend in Abbeville.Photo byAnnie SprattonUnsplash

[Updated]

It's the first weekend of October, and fall festivals are in full swing.

St. Tammany Parish Fair - Covington - October 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

1304 N Columbia Street

Bringing back the delightful days of the old country fair, the St. Tammany Parish Fair provides a whole weekend of fun. Highlights include pageants, a Rodeo queen contest, a parade, kids' day, Gospel night, carnival rides, a rodeo, cheer/dance competitions, livestock competitions, entertainment, and exhibits.

Jeff Davis Parish Fair - Jennings - October 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

801 S Lake Arthur Avenue

A week of pageants, competitions, and displays wraps up with a weekend carnival at the Jeff Davis Parish Fair. Ride wristbands cost $26.

Louisiana Cattle Festival - Abbeville - October 4, 5 & 6

100 N State Street

The 74th Lousiana Cattle Festivalrib-eating held in Downtown Abbeville features music, arts & crafts, good food, a rib eating contest, a whip-cracking contest, an ice cream eating contest, a fais-do-do dance competition, and live cattle demonstrations.

The live music lineup includes:

• The Beau Young Band
• Rusty Metoyer & Zydeco Krush
• Clay Cormier
• Lukas Meaux & Cajun Beat
• Buddy Andrews & The Branded
• The Chase Tyler Band
• Spank the Monkey
• Horace Trahan & The Ossun Express
• Chubby Carrier & Bayou Swamp Band
• Damon Troy & Louisiana Beat

A cattle industry dedication mass takes place at 9:00 AM on Sunday, October 6, at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church, 300 Pere Megret Street.

Gretna Fest - Gretna - September 4, 5, 6

740 2nd Street

With an impressive line-up of international, national, and local musical acts, the 30th annual Gretna Fest is set to be a spectacular time. An around-the-world culinary experience featuring German, Italian, Asian, and Latin food and nearly 100 vendors will treat festival goers to a cultural experience spanning 20 continuous blocks.

The musical lineup includes:

• Dierks Bentley
• Steve Miller Band
• The Revivalists
• Chase Rice
• Natasha Bedingfield
• Blue Oyster Cult
• Morris Day & The Time
• Foghat
• Natasha Bedingfield
• Sonny Landreth
• Galactic featuring Jelly Joseph
• Neal Francis
• The Record Company
• Futurebirds
• Travis Denning
• The Wilder Blue
• Eggy
• Junior Marvin & The Legendary Wailers
• Cowboy Mouth
• Rockin' Dopsie Jr. & The Zydeco Twisters
• Amanda Shaw & The Cute Boys featuring Choppa
• Sunpie Barnes & The Louisiana Sunspots
• The Yat Pack with Louis Prima, Jr.
• Kermit Ruffins & The Babecue Swingers
• The Lost Bayou Ramblers
• Flow Tribe
• The Iguanas
• Little Freddie King
• Johnny Sketch & The Dirty Notes
• LVVRS
• The New Orleans Mystics & The Ladies of Soul
• Da Rockits
• Glen David Andrews
• Nashville South
• Few Blue
• Claude Bryant & The Allstars
• Renee Gros & Tiago Guy
• Letrainiump
• MJ & The Redeemers
• Alex McMurray
• Danny Alexander
• Justin McCoy & Destin Thibodeaux
• Johnny J & The Hitmen
• Rachel Fleetwood & Perfect Tone
• The Klinks
• Southern Fire
• Brass Bands & Mardi Gras Indians

Single-day passes are $40. 3-day weekend passes cost $90. 3-day child passes are $5. Admission is free for children 4 and under.

Blues, Brews & BBQ - Violet - October 5

5124 E. Judge Perez Drive

Wonderful Blues music, refreshing brews, and delicious BBQ are on tap for the Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival in St. Bernard Parish.

Musical guests include:

• Chalmette High School Jazz Band
• Bruce "Sunpie" Barnes
• Johnny Mastro
• Jerry Dugger
• Little Freddie King

This is a free, family-friendly event benefitting the Community Center of St. Bernard.

National Fried Chicken Festival - New Orleans - October 5 & 6

6801 Franklin Avenue

The New Orleans Lakefront along Lakeshore Drive at Franklin Avenue behind the UNO akefront Arena is the setting for a two-day National Fried Chicken Festival featuring great food, music, and culture. Food competition categories are:

• Best Fried Chicken
• Best Chicken Sandwich
• Best Use of Chicken in a Dish
• People's Choice Award

There will be cooking demonstrations and panel discussions with some of the nation's best-known celebrity chefs and culinary thought leaders.

Featured bands include:

• Better Than Ezra
• Bun B
• Cupid
• Teedra Moses
• Bonerama
• Shamarr Allen
• PNC
• Big Sam's Funky Nation
• Choppa
• Hasizzle
• Dwayne Dopsie & The Zydeco Hellraisers

General admission is $20.

*This article may be updated as more festival information becomes available.