Southern Decadence Festival
- Date: Aug 30 - Sep 04, 2017
- Location: French Quarter
The Southern Decadence Festival is held annually over Labor Day weekend. This year it falls on Wednesday August 31st-Monday August 5th. What began as a little costume party in 1972 is now a world-famous LGBT celebration. There are costumes, high fashion, dancing, and obviously a few parades (since this is New Orleans!). The festival draws more than 180,000 people, predominantly gay and lesbian, from all over the world every year. The majority of the festival takes place on the streets of the French Quarter so it is FREE! Each year there is a different theme with official colors. Thursday night is the wild welcome party upstairs at the Bourbon Pub. "The Bearded Lady", Billy Francesca, will kick off the festivities and dance the night away with DJ Sean Michael. Friday is the float parade and Saturday is the Bourbon Street Extravaganza. Sunday is the walking parade and Monday is the closing party.
