10 Things to Do in New Orleans in March

NOLA, as the Americans call it, offers cultural variety in every aspect and a myriad of things to see and do in New Orleans. In one month you'll go from dancing to Celtic music while celebrating St. Patrick's Day to singing tarantellas for St. Joseph's Day.

The weather in March is spring-like and ideal for outdoor activities during the day. While it's not the cheapest season, you'll find events for every budget.

If you're a basketball fan, then this is the plan for you. During March the most important games of the NBA regular season are decided and the Pelicans always fight until the last minute.

If you are in luck you will be able to enjoy an NBA game where the New Orleans Pelicans are playing at home looking for a place in the play-offs. It will be the perfect opportunity to visit one of the most beautiful indoor arenas in the United States and see the sport's biggest stars up close.

The Pelicans' home stadium, the Smoothie King Center, is also an impressive piece of architecture with a capacity of 17,000, so you can take a tour before or after the game. It's easy to get to, located less than 10 minutes from downtown New Orleans.

March is also the month when the crawfish season officially starts and if you are interested in this type of food it is the perfect opportunity to try it. New Orleans is known as one of the gastronomic capitals due to the fusion between Spanish, French and Italian food, and one of its main attractions is the crawfish.

The typical French and American dishes often range from gourmet options to simple and hearty dishes, with which you can try new tastes and flavours.

During this month you will find several options to taste the typical "Crawfish". Whether boiled, sautéed, baked or fried, and if you prefer to go for it, you can buy fresh crab and cook it however you like.

Also, once the Mardi Gras festivities are over, every Friday in March you can enjoy Fish FryFridays.

For years, every Friday in March, New Orleans' top restaurants have donated the proceeds from the sale of fried fish to Hospitality Cares.

Every March 17th, New Orleans dresses in green for another St. Patrick's Day celebration, but it's not uncommon for the festivities to extend throughout the week.

The weight of the Irish community is very important in New Orleans. That's why Saint Patrick's Day is the perfect excuse to continue the festivities after enjoying Mardi Gras and getting to know a little more about this culture.

Perhaps the best option to enjoy Saint Paddy's to the fullest is to head to Parasol's Bar in the Irish Chanell, a historic neighbourhood of Irish families. This neighbourhood is just 10 minutes from downtown New Orleans and the French Quarter by public transport.

Keep in mind that during the parade, Irish stew ingredients (minus the beef, of course) are often thrown from the floats. Watch out for carrots, cabbage, potatoes and onions flying through the air.

In addition, there are usually participants dressed in their green costumes who will hand out paper flowers in exchange for kisses.

You can enjoy this traditional parade starting at Magazine Avenue and St Charles, while taking advantage of the green beer happy hours and dancing to Celtic music all night long. Don't forget your green clothes to avoid getting pinched and a three-leaf clover pin for good luck.

If you are a dachshund lover you will really enjoy this experience. Every March, New Orleans celebrates the :::link|text=wiener dog race|url=https://www.srperro.com/blog_perro/summer-sausage-sprint-la-loca-carrera-de-los-salchichas-y-una-comedia-sobre-sus-protagonistas/**

These races are becoming more and more popular and have some of the cutest competitors. It is very entertaining to watch these beautiful dogs with short legs and big ears trying to get to the finish line as quickly as possible.

To help them achieve their goal, their owners use everything from dog kibble to squeaky toys as incentives.

Interesting facts

• Event Venue Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
• Address: 1751 Gentilly Blvd
• Founded in 1872: The 3rd oldest horse racing track in the United States.

Whether you're a Bourbon fanatic or you've never tried it before, the New Orleans Bourbon Festival is the perfect opportunity for you to have the time of your life. World-renowned and with a host of craft distilleries, the festival takes place in the first weeks of March.

Bourbon is a type of whiskey that originated in the United States, and while it began to be produced in northern states, it quickly spread to almost every southern state.

The name is believed to come from the Bourbon family, a historic French royal dynasty. Bourbon Street gave its name to the drink that was exported and was cheaper than French Cognac.

This event is usually hosted at the Contemporary Arts Center and Hotel Le Meridian, located near the French Quarter. Over the course of the 3-day event, you can sample food and taste the best Bourbon in a 1920's speakeasy setting.

The festival ends on the third day with a brunch where the awards ceremony takes place. The best types and styles of bourbon that were tasted during the festival are awarded.

If you think 3 days of bourbon drinking is too much for your liver, you can go straight to the awards ceremony where you can sample and buy the top-rated Bourbons.

Another holiday I recommend you experience is St Josephs day. On this day, the saint is commemorated with music, dancing and Italian food.

Italian-American families often set up small altars in their homes dedicated to St. Joseph or St. Giuseppino, a tradition brought by Sicilian immigrants who arrived in New Orleans in the 18th century.

Although the event takes place in the French Quarter of New Orleans, on this day it is the Italian-Americans living in the area who take centre stage. The festivities begin at noon at the main Italian venues in New Orleans, with a variety of Italian dishes, traditional music and plenty of wine.

The main event begins with a parade organised by the American Italian marching club of New Orleans, a group of men dressed in dinner jackets who will have you dancing tarantella all night long.

If you love to read or consider yourself a literary enthusiast, March is the month to visit New Orleans. During this month you can enjoy the Tennessee Williams Literary Festival, one of the most iconic playwrights of the 20th century. You may know him from the adaptation of his most famous play: "A Streetcar Named Desire".

The festival lasts 5 days and you can enjoy original plays by the author performed by actors, classic southern cocktail parties, open-air readings, gastronomic events, live bands, literary walking tours, book signings and much more.

In addition, the creators of this event founded in parallel "Saints and Sinners", a literary festival for the LGTBQ+ community. It is attended by people from all over the world, where the most prominent writers of the community showcase their best works. "Saints and Sinners began as literary gatherings to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and prevent discrimination.

If you missed the Mardi Gras festivities, then Super Sunday is your best bet. Organised by the Native American communities of New Orleans, Super Sunday has all the elements that appeal to us most about the carnival season: parades, second lining, masks and colourful costumes.

The origin of Super Sundays can be traced to the great brotherhood between Indians and African-Americans. This historical alliance has existed from colonial times to the present day, and is due to the protection given by the native peoples of the area to slaves escaping from the plantations.

More than 50 tribes of the original peoples still exist in the New Orleans areas and are often the main protagonists of these events. In addition, these communities are considered to be the founders of second lining. This practice dates back to the 18th century and consists of following the caravan and musicians while singing and dancing.

Super Sundays is a manifestation of how two different cultures could find support in hostile times. Today this brotherhood is celebrated in the form of a parade and music in colourful traditional dress through downtown New Orleans.

The traditional route for this event is as follows:

• Starts at noon at A.L. Davis Park, Washington Avenue and LaSalle Street.
• Continue on LaSalle
• Turn left onto Martin Luther King Blvd.
• Turn left on South Claiborne Avenue
• Then left onto Washington Avenue
• End at A.L. Davis Park

New Orleans is a mecca of French culture as a former colony of the European country. Perhaps the "Fete Francaise" is a perfect occasion to enjoy the French cultural heritage. Organised annually by the Ecole Bilingue de la Nouvelle-Orléans, La Fete is the largest French-themed festival in New Orleans.

The event is free and takes place on the school's campus. You can enjoy a variety of food, music, art, entertainment and activities for the little ones, all related to France.

In addition, all proceeds from the event go to fund the Bilingual School and are supported and organised by the entire educational community.

If you like music and art, I recommend you not to miss this opportunity. Buku is one of the largest festivals in New Orleans and is designed to showcase emerging artists from the local scene. The festival usually conveys an atmosphere similar to a party among friends, but on a grand scale.

Enjoy internationally renowned artists while discovering new artists from the indie, hip hop and EDM scene. The festival also offers local artist interventions such as graffiti, sculpture races and interactive projects.

The name of the festival comes from the French word "Beaucoup" which translates as "A lot". This festival has a lot to offer, from signature cuisine to classic snowballs, traditional New Orleans ice cream cones that will keep you cool during the festival.

If you're interested in investing in an exclusive experience, the festival offers VIP tickets. These will serve as a pass for both days of the festival, as well as exclusive access to the party on the Creaole Queen cruise ship.

If you don't have the budget for the vip party, New Orleans has multiple boat tours to offer

February to May tend to be the busiest months for tourists. This is due to the many festivals, celebrations and holidays that take place during this time of year.

I recommend that if you want to travel during this time of year you book early. While NOLA has a wide variety of hotel and dining options, the large number of arts festivals can be reflected in the prices.

March is a spring month and is one of the best times to visit New Orleans. The days are warm and pleasant, while the nights are a little cooler.

The average daytime temperature is between 20 and 24 degrees Celsius, while the cooler temperatures come at night and range from 8 - 11 degrees Celsius. This climate is ideal for outdoor activities during the day, as you won't be overwhelmed by the heat.

Also, the nights are ideal for activities, because it's not cold. That's why I recommend you to check which are the best activities to do at night.

It doesn't usually rain during the rainy season, when it does it usually rains for a few days a month. If it does rain, it never rains more than 35 mm over 2 or 3 days. I recommend that you take a mackintosh with you, as you may need it on a day when you want to do some outdoor activities.