Oak Street Po-Boy Festival

Amazing experience. Really the best opportunity to try all the different types of po-boys in one setting. There are several music stages and lots of bars and beer booths. The crowd was fun and electric. I’d recommend getting there on the earlier end. It definitely started to fill up later in the afternoon. And though kids are obviously welcome, strollers had a hard time getting through the crowds

Most Delish fresh off grill w all kinds of flavor, fish Po Boy. Happy rainbow hued people , babies to granmas, music and just a nice kind of day.

Biggest year yet. Look around before getting your food. A better poboy is always steps away. Every booth has a new suprise. Be aware some booths only take cash but most of them take cards. You need to buy a wristban before you can purchase from a booth.

Always the best poboys. Quick service. Lots of vendors along the beautiful Oak Street. Parking is trick, but it’s what you expect for a festival. People tend to spend 2-4 hours at the fest.

Fun fest. Its a one day event. Well attended. Very neighborhoody (a good thing). LOTS of Po-boys to try. We walked thru once to pick where we would eat, and found a band on the levee side of Oak St. Los Poboy Citos. Great Latin style music, awesome musicians and sound ... gotta say, best trumpet player I've heard in town. Started with The Ninja Sushi Restaurant had a 1/2 ribeye with 1/2 crab po boy (2 separate po boys) with kimchi and a meat bite with Korean BBQ sauce on the side. Great flavor. I put Sriracha sauce on the crab (my mistake) kind of overpowered the crab. My friend who would be my gf had a brisket and pastrami po boy from Blue Oak BBQ, with a side of roasted garlic Mac and cheese. The po boy was packed with deliciousness, and had a nice cabbage slaw that added nicely. The pastrami gave a good, salty bite that paired well with the brisket. The mac and cheese was good, liked the garlic and toasted bits on top. The next stop was the Ajun Cajun for a soft shell crab po boy. Wow. The tempura was dynamite and the sauce they used had a nice spice and a little heat on the back end. Listened to the Lost Bayou Ramblers at the Pinto Alley stage. This was some old time French Cajun music, very nice, mellow then bordering on rowdy songs. I liked these guys. Both music acts we saw were top notch, and along the street, various places had music blasting. So much fun. I gotta wonder about people who bring dogs to walk these crowded fests. What are you thinking? Your great Dane's love to smell food and crowds? Your tiny jack Russell hasn't been stepped on in awhile? Leave them home, I think most people would appreciate it.

There were 2 vegan options which was more than enough! Delicious food. Entertainment everywhere. A cool local vibe not full of drunken idiots. Lots of expensive art for sale.

Always a delightful event full of good food, awesome people, & southern hospitality. Good job patrons, vendors, clean up crew, and everyone who brought their beautiful pets out. With all that being said. My next year's calendar is already booked for this wonderful event thanks again for all the hard work. Love you, n'awleans

Had a blast for a great cause. They could improve the VIP process. There was not a lot of information on it, folks associated with the program did not know where area was located, and not much seating offerings to get away from the heat/crowd once we accidentally found it. No regrets, again for a great cause, we will most certainly be attending again to support and grab some more excellent food, and beverage, fun atmosphere, and music very uplifting event.

This was first time at this festival, but it won't be my last. The weather was perfect, and arriving early was definitely a good idea. As I strolled down the tree-lined street, I was drawn in to booth after booth because of the aromas of their creations. Non-food vendors were uniquely placed between the restaurants that were just as enticing. I researched the list of participating restaurants to identify my must haves, and they did not disappoint. The live bands were energetic and fun and helped me work off some of those calories.

Not really worthy to try. Hot and too busy. Pay for the admission and also pay for the food. I rather go somewhere else!

Coming from the north we had to try out this festival! Who doesn't love a good sandwich? Wrist bands are $5 each if you want food. Husband and I both got one when we didn't need to. The event is free unless you want food. The street was packed! Parking is a nightmare as well. Come early to find a good spot I guess! Tried all new to me things! Soft shell crab, crawfish, po-boys and blueberry limeade. All was very good but the crawfish Mac and cheese was amazing. Some of the prices were pretty steep for what you get but understandable since it's a festival. Some stand allow you to use your card but most only accept cash. The lines can be crazy at some stands but clearly worth the wait! Overall this was a fun tourist thing to do!

This event is always a good time! I've gone almost every year for the past ten or so years and look forward to it every year. It's your typical festival, but it has the charm of Oak Street, dozens of po-boy options (as well as other foods if po-boys isn't your thing), and local music. Also, I love how it's in November so it's usually not too hot. The alcohol selection is okay. This year I was expecting a variety of beer, especially since there's so many great local breweries, but only a couple of local beers were represented at the festival. Hopefully they'll expand in future years. Although it's gotten bigger and more crowded over the years, in recent years the festival has done a better job at making sure there's enough vendors so that people don't have to wait in line for long. Obviously the most popular vendors, especially those who won an award at the festival, might have a long line, but I waited only 15 minutes for the po-boy that won this year's best po-boy award at the festival. I got Parkway Tavern's "James Brown" with slow roasted BBQ beef, Louisiana golden fried shrimp, torched pepper jack cheese with a Crystal and Tabasco infused aioli, dressed with lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles. It was pretty good, but not as hot and fresh as I was hoping for (fried shrimp weren't very crispy or piping hot like). But I understand that at festivals vendors are making food for the masses, so I have no beef (ha ha...) against Parkway.

Me thinks that the schedule change messed them up a bit this year. Having to move the festival back a few weeks due to weather resulted in a few noticeable hiccups. First and foremost there were no banners over the street. Usually there are two very large "Po-Boy Festival" banners stretching across Oak Street. They were missing this year. Also missing was the stage at the end of the street that also had a very large banner. We knew where we were of course so it wasn't a big deal but aesthetically it was not as nice this year. The most unforgivable omission however had to be no GW Finns lobster Po-boy. No GW Finns at all actually. No fault of the Festival I'm sure but it makes me wonder if the last minute schedule change messed them up somehow. They are on the roster of vendors on the web site but they were not on the program at the event. I was hoping they forgot to put them on the map but to my dismay we heard that they dropped out this year. Ouch!! Another vendor attempted a fried lobster po-boy but they added buffalo sauce and the lobster was chopped too small and it resulted in an over battered almost clam strip like product (see pic). It was just ok. The weather was perfect and we found a couple new entries very much to our liking. I can't remember the vendor but the crawfish mac n cheese was the star of the show for us. Plenty of crawfish in a giant bowl of cheesey shells (see pic). For $10 it was about a pound of the good good. Also had a Cochon de lait and fried shrimp po-boy that should not have been as delicious as it was. Pork, shrimp and gravy oh my!! Mama had the crab bisque again and it was delicious but they took away the bread bowl and served it in a styrofoam bowl with a small hunk of bread. Not all bad considering the stomach space it saved. In conclusion this year was toward the bottom of the ranking of the 8 years in a row we have been but it is still better than any other festival she has drug me too this year. See y'all next year.

So the poboy fest seems to grow bigger and bigger every year....about 40 food vendors this year encompassing seven blocks of Oak St. Loved most of the new foods I tried at this year's fest. My favorite though was the vanilla ice cream filled donut with bananas foster sauce from Blue Dot Donuts (probably one of the best things I've ever eaten for $5). It is kind of strange, though, that the organizers of this festival let any business get a booth here to sell whatever they want even though it is the po-boy festival. I ate at seven different places and only four of those places even offered a po-boy. I guess money does really talk! Come early to avoid the inevitable crowds and shortage of food, bring lots of cash, eat as much as you can handle, and enjoy the music and good times of New Orleans.

Fun fest. Its a one day event. Well attended. Very neighborhoody (a good thing). LOTS of Po-boys to try. We walked thru once to pick where we would eat, and found a band on the levee side of Oak St. Los Poboy Citos. Great Latin style music, awesome musicians and sound ... gotta say, best trumpet player I've heard in town. Started with The Ninja Sushi Restaurant had a 1/2 ribeye with 1/2 crab po boy (2 separate po boys) with kimchi and a meat bite with Korean BBQ sauce on the side. Great flavor. I put Sriracha sauce on the crab (my mistake) kind of overpowered the crab. My friend who would be my gf had a brisket and pastrami po boy from Blue Oak BBQ, with a side of roasted garlic Mac and cheese. The po boy was packed with deliciousness, and had a nice cabbage slaw that added nicely. The pastrami gave a good, salty bite that paired well with the brisket. The mac and cheese was good, liked the garlic and toasted bits on top. The next stop was the Ajun Cajun for a soft shell crab po boy. Wow. The tempura was dynamite and the sauce they used had a nice spice and a little heat on the back end. Listened to the Lost Bayou Ramblers at the Pint Alley stage. This was some old time French Cajun music, very nice, mellow then bordering on rowdy songs. I liked these guys. Both music acts we saw were top notch, and along the street, various places had music blasting. So much fun. I gotta wonder about people who bring dogs to walk these crowded fests. What are you thinking? Your great Dane's love to smell food and crowds? Your tiny jack Russell hasn't been stepped on in awhile? Leave them home, I think most people would appreciate it.

Was really looking forward to this event and I was not disappointed. My only letdown was that I couldn't eat more. The bands were great and the people watching was even better. Can't wait to go again next year. I'll be sure to skip breakfast and be better prepared.

I've finally reached 100 reviews! YAY! I'm so glad to review the Po-boy Festival because I look forward to this festival all year long! This is by far one of my very favorite festivals in New Orleans. So many great food vendors and restaurants take part in the Po-boy Festival, and each year it's definitely growing in popularity. The crowds over the past few years are growing, but it's always a great group of people that comes out! Tourists and locals alike. Maybe it's been because the weather has cooperated the past few years (I'm knocking on wood as I'm typing this). It was a gorgeous day yesterday! Let's talk about the food because that's what this festival is all about, and always bring a buddy with you to the festival to share with because you can't eat it all on your own. I'll mention my absolute favorite item this year was the Smoked Beef Bourguignon Po-boy with French Onion Dip from Boucherie. I hope they won for best po-boy because I tell you it was just out of this world delicious, and I seriously could have eaten that one po-boy all day and been content. I am hoping and keeping my fingers crossed that Boucherie brings this item back for the next festival because I will be the first and last person in line at their truck. Some other items we tried were the Buffalo Chicken Meat Pies from Wayfare, these were excellent and cooked to order which was pretty awesome because they were fresh and piping hot. Then there's the Food Drunk food truck. We had Duck Fat Fries with mustard dipping sauce and Crab/Crawfish mac & cheese from Food Drunk. I'll say without a doubt those were the best fries I've ever had in all my life! The mac & cheese needed more seasoning, but the fries!!! Still dreaming about those fries! LOL Then there's Walker's BBQ & the famous Cochon De Lait Po-boy! I'm told it's ahh-mazing! Just as I described the Smoke Beef from Boucherie, apparently this is the pork version of heaven on a po-boy. We also had the Crab Grilled Cheese from Diva Dog. In my humble opinion this was a waste of money. There was hardly any crabmeat on the sandwich and it was basically a $10 grilled cheese that was just ok. More crabmeat would have made a world of difference. We also tried the Icy Hot Chocolate from Blue Frog Chocolates. I thought I died and went to heaven when I took my first sip! Absolutely delicious! A couple other things beyond the po-boys... This festival is dog friendly! So many people had their dogs with them, and some were even in costume! My favorite was the po-boy dog! (see my pic) The owners made his costume & he was too cute! There was also an art market at the festival this year. I'm honestly not sure if there is usually an art market associated with this festival but it's tucked away, and you have to look for it. I checked it out and I think the variety of items available was pretty good, but mostly catering to tourists. No biggie, I still bought something! Another of my favorite things at the festival this year was Jon Cleary! He's a beast on the piano! Jon has been in the New Orleans area for the past 20 years or more learning the music culture here and he's a New Orleans legend! It was so much fun to see him perform and see the crowd singing along and dancing. It's obvious New Orleans loves to hear Jon Cleary perform, I know I do! Hope to see you out at the festival next year!

This was my second poboy fest. I have nothing bad to say about it. The lay out is great. It's stretched down Oak Street. The booths are spaced out enough that the lines don't get crossed. Not only are there delicious poboys, but drinks and other foods as well. Some of the restaurants down Oak street have their bars open incase you want a drink that isn't available at the small bars they place through out the fest. There is live music, face painting for the kids, and some novelty shops open. This is one of my favorite festivals in New Orleans!

So much fun!! Great bands, lots of po boy options including vegetarian and vegan!! It did get crowded but everyone seemed to be having a great time!

On November 11, 2018 , Fun and Relaxing . Hubby , Daughter and I had a great time. We had so much food . So many different Po-Boys to choose from. Very nice crowd . We ran into a few friends and we had a blast.

I missed PoBoy Fest for a couple of years...some years I'm just not up for the crowds. But yesterday, my youngest brother convinced me to meet him out there for 11ish. I do think the parking situation might be easier coming from the Jefferson Parish side...or maybe the streets are just wider. They've moved a lot of the activity down to that end of Oak which is smart as there is more room. The use of side streets is smart too. I wish more booths sold sample sized portions. I ate the super delish seafood au gratin poboy (on croissant) and was done because it was so rich. It was fun to see so many friends randomly on the street. I knew if I staked out the poutine poboy stand that Jennifer B would show up eventually...poutine=catnip for Canadians, FYI. This year there were only 2 big bottlenecks and both were closer to the Carrollton end of the street...including the one in front of the Maple Leaf since a brass band was taking up better than 50% of the road. Fun, but annoying when you're hustling to meet up with people.

So Po-Boy fest was awesome this year, partly because of weather and party because I went with a plan. Here's some basic PBF advice: 1. Get there early 2. Buy a wrist band anywhere but the entrance. Everywhere sells them. 3. Bring cash. 4. Have a map and a plan. 5. Split po-boys to maximize sampling There are so many places, you cannot eat a po-boy from every spot, but it does not mean you shouldn't try. Me, Shari V and Jacob C went this year. We got there at 11:00. It can take a while to park, but we ultimately found some street parking. There is plenty of fanfare so we took our time walking down Oak. We stopped at 5 places. Best po-boy hands down (all three in agreement) was duck po-boy at Crabby Jack's. Bread makes the sandwich IMHO. Worst was Dunbar's fried chicken po-boy. I had a few bites and had to throw in the towel. Not worth it. Every bite takes up valuable stomach real estate at this festival. Looking forward to next year.

A very good Festival might I add. Just keep in mind that this is the City of New Orleans and there are literally many forms of po-boys here to suit just about anyone needs. If you counting carbs don't count this day. Po-boys from some of the best po boy shops in town and po-boy well known vendors. Me and My son go just about every year and we have a good time looking at everything . It's normally nice weather, a very behaved crowd definitely a fest to bring the kiddies out and the dogs and just walk around eating Po-Boys with your sunshades on.

Based on previous years' experience with this event, I anticipated that it would be insanely crowded this year (it was), in spite of the attempts to broaden the boundaries of the festival to make more room for the crowds. Therefore, I made a point to show up for the last hour of Po-Boy Fest. Unfortunately, I got distracted enough to forget the reason I came, which was to see Rebirth, but it was still definitely worth checking out. Stuff I learned: even when it's like 8 minutes before the festival ends, there are STILL LINES at any of the vendors that not only still have food but are actually serving Po-Boys. You can buy a baseball of chocolate from one of the vendors, that will feed you for three days. The Po-Boy festival jewelery at one artists' booth went on sale toward the end of the day. It may not be super crowded by the last hour of Po-Boy Fest, but it sure ain't empty. You can get free stuff from vendors when they're closing up shop. Evidently Parkway was giving away roast beef debris and the like, other people lowered the price on food items, and so forth. Next year, we need to figure out a way to deal with the fact that there's no cell network when you've got a crowd like this. (However, I was still able to send texts on TMobile.) That's about it. Can't wait till next year!

The 2010 was fantastic - the crowds did have a tendency to bottleneck in a few areas but there were surprisingly quite a few options for vegans and vegetarians! Music was outstanding! Prices were all pretty reasonable. I enjoyed the little craft fair and got a gorgeous necklace and earrings for myself (and one for my sister). The New Orleans FD was out selling fundraising calendars - and SIGNING them - how can you resist? Great neighborhood festival with much to offer.

How do you review the Po-Boy Preservation Festival? It's difficult because everyone's experience is so personal and based on their own likes and dislikes. I liked the live music that included a stage with a band and a marching band playing 'oh when the saints'...and doing a little who dat chanting. I loved being with all those people who love New Orleans, it's just such a good feeling. I loved that you could get smaller versions (half) poboy's so you could try more than one. I loved that it is outside in November because the weather was great. But, the things I did not love really outweigh the loves: It was super-de-duper crowded. At times it was impossible to walk at all and you were crammed into the crowd. The lines were pretty long. I waited 25 minutes to get a drink. I only found one vegetarian poboy- the french fry poboy Le Citron Bistro. The fries weren't really done but I was so hungry that almost anything would've tasted good. I found out later that there was a fried mashed potato poboy at Ninja! (go ninja!!). I thought the prices were steep. Oh, and i had a black bean taco that tasted so fresh and homemade- that was good. I got some great photos, check 'em out.

I love Oak Street, and food at Po-Boy is always on point each. The prices are pretty reasonable. There are a lot of options showcasing New Orleans best, expect meat, seafood and veggies choices. Usually this fest has pretty good local bands playing on the outdoors stages. This is a family friendly event. The only real take away is it's a bit of a victim of its own success. The lines for certain vendors can be really long and if you arrive later in the day you run the risk of the most popular Po-Boys selling out. My advice, pack your patience arrive hungry and early and wear comfortable shoes it's mostly a standing fest, so boogie to a band and chow down!

Gotta love the PoBoy festival. Been here three years in a row now and it has always been a blast. What you can expect out of it: a plethora of dogs, expensive food, yummy Po-Boys, and lines! Some of the best items I've had have been the seared tuna/avocado Po-Boy (essentially a sushi roll PoBoy), soft shell crab PoBoys, and even gumbo! Although I can't remember the specific places I had my sandwiches at, it's relatively easy to guess which will have the best choices. Go for places with crazy sandwich options and long lines. Skip on places with tiny lines, as this is usually a good indicator that their PoBoys are subpar! Bring your dog too!

Note for next year: Arrive even EARLIER. We came by about 12, parked almost at Claiborne, and the crowd was already getting RIDIC. Fortunately, however, stands weren't running out of food quite yet so we got to try a couple poboys, see the sights, hear the music, and make it out without getting too massively crushed. 1. Confit pork Cuban po-boy w/black pepper bourbon mustard by Dante's Kitchen - Absolutely phenomenal and worth the 25 minute wait in line. Watching them grill the slice of pork confit, melt cheese, stack it with ham, then press it ghetto-panini style with a tray of hot bricks (riiiight) only added to the experience. The flavor profile was spicy, savory, with a touch of sweetness from the pickles and cucumbers. My favorite. 2. Pork belly & pepper jelly po-boy by Mahony's - Lean porcine meat, tender fat and crispy skin-on sliced like chubby bacon, with sweet pepper jelly and a touch of vinaigrette on the fresh arugula. My only quibble was that the meat was served cold; I would've appreciated the meat heated to contrast with the cool vegetal tang. 3.Confit pork cheek po-boy with dirty rice aioli and southern-style cole slaw by Emeril's Delmonico - The only place where service stood out to me: the chef was chattin it up as he took my money, gave us paper towels and finger towelettes. Woo! The pork was pulled and very juicy, topped with a fairly standard slaw. Didn't taste the aioli at all. Juicy, messy, standard. 4. Spicy french fry poboy by Le Citron - Waste of my $6. I thought it would have some sort of spicy gravy but no, it was just frozen fries, a slice of tomato, and maybe a sprinkle of Zatarain's seasoning? We stopped early because we were getting full but also because the lines for the places we wanted to try were unbelievable. Handcut fries from Boucherie? Looked amazing, but the line was nearly a full block long! GW Fins fried lobster? My mouth waters as I type that, but waiting for an hour wasn't worth it. Stars taken for: - Layout: Thinking it over, my initial negative takeaways were regarding parking and crowd size. But actually, I think they did a good job promoting people to bike and reduce car traffic, with a lot of racks set up and prominently featured on their website. And I'm glad for the size of the event; it's awesome that in its short lifespan thus far, Poboy Fest has been so popular and bringing folks into a cool part of town. Rather, I think the worst congestion was due to the entire event being lined up along Oak Street proper, rather than spaced out a little into the intersecting side streets. The section right by Maple Leaf, for example, was full to the point that it took almost half an hour to inch along for one block. - Hidden kid's section: The few kids I saw were either sitting in strollers or grumpily bouncing along on Daddy's shoulders. We met up with our friends who brought their 5 and 9 year olds along and the kids were quickly bored. The children's section with face painting, etc., was small, tucked away and took us a long time to find (and walk to!) The kids were bored much of the time and it was even more difficult for them than adults to navigate because Tulane students buzzed off Miller Lite didn't see them and kept bumping into them. Sad babies. We wanted to vote for Mahony's and give that bump to win Best Non-Seafood poboy for the second year in a row, but even on our second push through down Oak, we could NOT find the judge's booth! Now, I'm a pretty determined voter (I've voted in EVERY election including all primaries since I was 18) but this crowd had me foiled. I had a good time and I'm looking forward to next year but I'm not clamoring for it.

Favorite festival by far! Excellent weather this year, I'm not sure who yall talked to about setting that up but...THANK YOU! So many poboys, so many mouths to feed! But like literally so many. The crowds are crazy and if you want to try the GW Fins lobster poboy you might need a poboy while you wait in the 3 block long line that you will most likely cry in(not saying from experience, but you just may from the hunger pains). My suggestion is to come hungry and be a good southerner and bring your patience. Street parking, with street cars running so you don't have to carry your precious legs too far. Bring a buddy and have a system to share all the goodness. You may regret not sharing bc you will want to try more than one poboy for sure!

The 2010 New Orleans Po-Boy Preservation Festival was packed to the gills. I'm all about supporting the merchants on Oak Street but come on isn't it just a little too crowded to keep this on Oak St? It looks like they have done their best to move the food & craft booths out of the street and into intersections to free up more room for the crowds to get down the streets. The lines at most food vendors were super long and some of the vendors were sold out before 2p and the festival is supposed to run til 7p. You would think they wouldn't be sold out of food 3 hours into a festival. We only had food from one vendor since the lines were so long. We got three things from Jack Dempsey's, I had the veal cutlet poboy & she had the fried shrimp remoulade po-boy, neither were really that exciting. We also had the baked macaroni & cheese which was cold. I thought about trying Jack Dempsey's since it was someplace I have wanted to try but don't normally get down to Poland Ave...maybe it's not fair to judge them based on their food at a festival but I don't see myself making a trip down there to try them. They had talked about moving the festival to Palmer Park and I'm not sure that would be larger enough. I think they should consider moving to come place like City Park (how about along Roosevelt Mall?) where there could be plenty of space, room to throw down and blanket to eat, and still have room for a couple of stages. City Park & Oak are only what about 3 or 4 miles apart?? Maybe they could even offer free booth space to the Oak Street merchants as a good will gesture. I wouldn't say I wouldn't go out to Oak St for the festival again but, I think they have outgrown the Oak St space.

I was absolutely giddy when I realized I could make the po'boy festival. And I was not let down. Incredible food, and I didn't even try any of the winners! Think I ate a total of four po'boys (two whole, four halves). Kinda put a dent in my wallet, but well worth it as a visitor on a per diem. I don't remember everything I tried, alas. Been a crazy week, and I was too busy stuffing my face to take notes. I remember an ok alligator from Oak St. Cafe. A good crawfish sausage from the folks who won something with their hot sausage one (don't recall the vendor's name). A restaurant bearing Emeril's moniker was serving an incredible pig cheek po'boy. I chickened out at the sushi po'boys, though. Should have tried one. Crowd control needs to step it up a bit. The lines need managed better not to block off the street. That's the only reason why I'm leaving this as four stars rather than five. I'm glad this place didn't suffer from the double-wide stroller syndrome that hits Atlanta street fairs. And note to people staying in the French Quarter: It *is* a walkable distance if you're insane. I enjoyed the hike there, but I rode the streetcar back. The homes (um, mansions) along the way are gorgeous, and the trees utterly upstage the homes. Plus, Audubon Park.

The street was packed with people shoulder-to-shoulder and the lines were lengthy, however, any difficulties endured were well worth the trouble since you got to taste test a slew of po-boys in a short period of time. One of our favorites came from Red Fish Grill who won the honor of Best Shrimp Po-Boy with their Grilled Shrimp & Blackened Avocado Po-Boy; it was packed with flavor and the shrimp were super fresh and tasty. Our second favorite came from Sammy's Deli who won the honor of Best Specialty Non-Seafood Po-Boy with their Fried Chicken with Chisesi Ham and Swiss Cheese Po-Boy, talk about a scrumptious concoction, it was amazing! Another notable po-boy we tasted was from Coquette Restaurant who won the People's Choice Award for the Homemade Hot Sausage Po-Boy, it was juicy and the least expensive one we had all day at only $5.00. More about the Po-Boy Festival can be found on my blog: http://www.wayfaringwanderer.com/2010/11/pigging-out-oak-st-po-boy-festival-new.html

Ok, I need to start taking the advice of my fellow Yelpers. This advice being: 1. Print off the map 2. Come early 3. And according to Ryan, get a VIP pass (though I didn't even KNOW they had one...you learn something new every day) I really didn't go with a plan which is to my own fault, but we thought it might rain. Now that I live within walking distance, there was no way I was going to miss out on the fest this year with how perfect the weather turned out, though I think I had missed a few prior years. LOVE the fact that a stage doesn't bottleneck Oak Street anymore! Smart move, organizers. On our way, we saw a bike corral at the Whitney Bank. Super smart and will remember for next time. Festivals are such great people watching opportunities (one of my favorite pastimes) and I love the characters that were out that day including the Krewe of Condiment, Oyster Man, and the Whistle Monsta. What's great is that the prices are kept fairly reasonable because they know we're going to want to put down as many po'boys as humanly possible. I am having some serious FOMO since I didn't map out my po'boy consumption so by the time I was like, "ooo, I want that", the lines weren't to my liking BUT in defense, I heard they moved pretty quickly. My man and I split both the Vaucresson Sausage Creole Hot Sausage and Creole Crawfish po'boys. I also had a bite of Crabby Jack's Slow Roasted Duck (always delicious and sloppy), and Palace Cafe's Creole Bahn Mi; flavors of which I'm very into right now. My pro-tip, if you eat everything out of the bread, give the bread to the pigeons so you've got some extra belly space to fill. Just sayin', no disrespect Leidenheimer. Though there was some serious squishiness at some points, I don't think it was so crowded that I wanted out. We posted up at Oak for a couple of hours while the crowds were heavy and then walked the streets again around 4pm. People with babies, I have nothing against you, just your behemoth strollers. Strap that baby to your chest and leave the tot taxi at home. Also, owners of small dogs, it get's precariously tight and your dog is liable to get stepped on. Strap that dog to your chest or leave the four-legged child at home. I totally agree that this fest could take up two days so that my stomach has time to digest at least 5 po'boys on one day and 5 more on the next. I'm already drooling thinking about next year. Calendar marked.

Po-Boy fest is probably my favorite festival probably because I love food and its a food festival after all. Yes, it does get crowded so try and get there early. I don't treat it like a normal festival, meaning its not a social event for me. I go with a group of friends and we have a plan of attack and we stick to it. We split up into 2 groups and have one group wait in the longest line while the other half goes to the shorter lines to rack up poboys. We check in with group 1 and share our treasures from other vendors. We repeat this 3 or 4 times until everyone is fat and happy. We are out of there in under two hours before the carb coma ensues, but sometimes we stay for the music.

So many things to taste, not nearly enough belly space to experience even a fraction of the awesome. In fact, we didn't even get to try ONE of the "best rated sandwiches" because what we tried was that good and left us fuller than we've been in years. AND WE SPLIT FOOD BETWEEN SIX PEOPLE. My inaugural Po-boy fest story begins about noon when we decided to grab our drinks and walk over to Oak Street from a friend's house nearby. Because of the fear of rain, it was still manageable at that point and the lines for food and the atm's weren't that long. NOOBS - come early and go to the ATM ahead of time. This fest, much like everywhere else in NOLA is cash only. We began our gluttonous journey at Boucherie, who was serving their Pork Belly Reuben. They were out of cracklins when we got there which I was super bummed about but my sadness was quickly assuaged as this was probably the best sandwich of the day. Pressed French bread, super cheesy and porky and then dipped in their tomato aioli - YES. Their fries were also delicious and spicy. NOOBS -make sure you check out the menus online before so you know what you want to hit. There is no way humanly possible that you'll eat everything at the Fest, so pick a few and pray they don't sell out before you get there. Next we tried Cindy's Fries from Bucktown burger with debris, sour cream, and green onions. WOW. I don't know if I can do this dish justice with words, so just go find this place and try this. It was so simple but the combination of flavors was just perfect and we ate every last drop in the tray. At this point we split up and got the Godfather Po-boy from Vincent's and the Speckled Trout Meunière from Sammich, after a few raw oyster shots. NOOBS - find these oyster shots. It's a nice palate cleanser. Both po-boys were solid choices, but to me, the Godfather had way too much happening and it was quite overwhelming. The Trout Meunière was spectacular. A perfect portion with crispy HOT OUT OF THE GREASE trout with a delicious mayo and mishmash of veggies that complemented everything else that was happening. But, I am a little bit of a Sammich fiend (see Night of Bey and Jay review). At this point, we needed a damn break and yet, we kept eating. BECAUSE YOU LITERALLY CAN'T STOP. Next was the Palace Cafe Banh Mi and the Bananas Foster Poboy from I'm not sure where. Both insanely delicious and both wildly contributing to my rapidly expanding stomach and my increasing need for an antacid. Did I listen to my body here? NO! Then we shared a Oyster Rockafeller poboy from Oceana Grill, which was messy and creamy and delicious and the oysters were cooked to perfection, a feat that can't possibly be easy when cooking in mass quantities. Thankfully, we rested after this but not for long. There was still one po-boy left. One that is the apex of gluttony. Something that you probably wouldn't think to eat in a million years but you figure "Oh, I've eaten 6 sandwiches today, WHAT'S ONE MORE?" The last sandwich wasn't even a sandwich but a crepe that wasn't even on the menu. Something so decadent, you had to hear another order it to believe it. It was the Nutella, Banana, and BACON crepe from Crepes a la cart. Yes, at that point I actually felt my arteries clogging and yes, I may have been in physical pain because I was so full but those 2 glorious bites of this ridiculous crepe were SO worth it. So NOOBS, I leave you with this. I know I've left you with a lot to think about and read, but this is a cautionary tale - something I want you to learn from, so you don't repeat my mistakes. Prepare, bring the antacids, the cash, and friends to share with and for the love of God - drink light beer! These my friends are the keys to the best Po-Boy fest experience EVER. YOU'RE WELCOME and I'll see you next year!

I took last year off (I think? I don't remember going) from po-boy fest, so the last time I had been there before returning this year was the 2010 fest - this was when the lines really started getting crazy-insane. I'm not too claustrophobic, but even the 2010 lines made me a little queasy and panicky. Fast forward to 2012 - I'm not sure whether all these changes were new to this year or in 2011, but I really appreciated that they did away with having a main stage right at Carrollton and Oak. Really seemed to cut down on the bottleneck at the very beginning. Also, the mobile beer vendors were excellent! Anytime I needed a beer, I never had to go more than half a block. I LOVED that Bike Easy provided free valet bicycle parking. What a fantastic service. There were even some nice guys who helped me out with a quick pro bono tire tuneup, which was much appreciated. I'm not sure how widely advertised the valet service was, since I saw tons of bikes locked up on fences around the fest. There are still damn long lines and big crowds at Po-Boy Fest. If you truly get panicky around big lines or crowds, Po-Boy Fest is probably not for you. That said, I was in an epic long line (Jacques-Imos) that actually moved pretty fast. One suggestion: I wish there were a few more sweets vendors. It was hard to find a way to satisfy my sweet tooth after chowing down on po-boys. I think this is one of my favorite festivals in New Orleans, but then I'm a glutton who loves excuses to eat anytime, anywhere.

I absolutely loved my po boy fest experience yesterday. Going earlier in the day is definitely the key! My day started out with me being a little too hung over at first, so I went and got some Yakamein from Miss Linda, then I had to go find the Habanero Ginger Pork Belly po boy I heard about. The line was long, but my girl K was very strategic and got in a couple of other lines while I stood in line at Squeal. Going with at least one friend or in a group allows you to try many different po boys and if y'all are good strategists, it would drastically shorten your time spent waiting in line.

This is a festival that's dedicated to poboys and Oak St. Two things that I like. I've been to a bunch of these things, missing a year here or there. So instead of a review, this is going to me more of a list of good memories I've had at this thing. 1) I went the first year they did this and it wasn't packed. Most of the vendors were selling mini samples of poboys. I must have tried 10 poboys. It was a really nice day and at some point I looked around and said to myself, "fuck, this is so New Orleans". 2) The second year was even better. Still wasn't packed but more vendors and crazier poboy options. I ate so many poboys that I lost count somewhere in the 20s. Then I went to play some rugby and I puked all over a guy after I tackled him. Sorry. 3) I don't remember what year it was, but it was packed as hell and no one was selling sample sized poboys anymore. It would have sucked, except Hubig's was out there giving away pies and I got some crazy other poboy related swag. 4) Again, I don't remember the year, but the lines were crazy, stuff was sold out and the weather was shitty. Once again, you would think this would suck, but I had a good time because I hung out at Zotz, playing with 3 bulldog puppies while my friends waited in lines. I like bulldogs. 5) This year (2014), I somehow managed to park ON Oak St. I pulled up from a side street and parked in front of Breads on Oak. I thought it was weird that I could pull up this close to the festival, and as I thought that some festival workers put barricades behind me. The festival wasn't too crowded and the sample size poboy has begun to make a come back!

Guess who just discovered the "festivals" category. This chick! I love the poboy fest! My boyfriend and I went to the last one with some friends and had a great time. Be sure to get there early, because the place fills up fast and gets packed with a capital "P"..err...Packed! By the time we decided to leave, it took us about a half hour to get from one end of Oak to the other and that was before the afternoon crowd really hit. But you don't want to hear about that. You want to hear about how awesome the food is. Well, that goes without saying. Restaurants from all over town set up booths and sell small samples of their best po boys. Now, here's a hint. You're gonna wanna eye up what the po boy looks like before you drop your money. Some of them just have one ingredient like shrimp, but some of piles of stuff like sausage and yummy dressing on it. Those are the ones you want, if you want to get your bucks worth. No matter what you choose, it's all good and you won't be disappointed.

So it's been quite awhile since this year's po boy fest. I wantded to love it. I wanted it to be the best ever. It was.... meh. I expected crowds. I expected lines. I expected music I could very rarely fully hear. I expected to be packed in and eat delicious things. All of those things were true. The po boys I got to try were great. Seriously I was thrilled with the boudin (crispity crunchity, yummy), the pork and slaw (great rich flavor combined with just enough tartness), and the shrimp and avacado (the grilling was perfect and two of my favorite ingredients = awesome). I was a little less than thrilled with the root beer glazed ham, but it was still good, just a tad on the sweet side for me. Unfortunately those were all I got to try. We spent the days ahead of time working out a battle plan. We had a list; divide and conquer plans. Everyone go jump in a line, grab some grub, repeat... meet on that grassy knoll over there. We were prepared. What we were not prepared for was that the majority of the places we aimed for were sold out. Oh dante's you broke my heart immediately. And hello bread pudding poboy.... I had such plans for you. Alas this was not to be. How late were we? Not very. There at 3. And about 7 places were already out. This was seriously disapointing. Everyone knew it would be slammed. This event always is. We love our poboys in this town and we love a celebration. A celebration of poboys is a home coming. That the vendors weren't prepared shocked and horrified me. This has been several years now that many of these same vendors have shown up to please our taste buds, but they never got the chance. And the crowds..... I deal pretty well with crowds, but that was insane. I was stuck at one point for a good 10 minutes. That has not happened to me since that one bad decision to allow myself to be dragged to bourbon on mardi gras night. (Oh the horror!). Part of me hopes the organizors might consider adding another day to the festival. But that theory of that proposition might not logistically work out. *shrug* I don't know the particulars. Or maybe extend down the side streets more that are for all intents and purposes closed down anyway. Everyone knows what a popular event this is. I don't know the solution to accommodate the hordes, but there has to be one. All in all what I got to try was totally worth it... but I didn't get much. Oh... and I miss those dragos oysters. Yes sir I do. Overall I know I'll go again next year. And hopefully I won't have work to keep me from getting there for the opening bell... maybe I'll get to really try out my list then... hopefully.

I've been to all of these since they first started and I've still yet to get a po boy at the fest. They always seem to run out of most things by the afternoon and there are almost always really long lines. The problem I have is I hate lines and standing in line for a regular po boy I can get all the time in NOLA isn't going to cut it and I only want the "special" po boys you generally can only get at this fest. The challenge is the "special" po boys sell out fast and rapidly develop long lines. I arrived right as the fest was opening last year and there were already lines! Ahhhh standing in line for a sandwich I just can't take it... The crowds are also completely out of control packed and make it a misery to attempt to walk down Oak Street. They really need to extend this fest to more days or to a larger area.

If the idea of an entire festival of food, art, and music dedicated to the po-boy seems strange to you, I am guessing you are visiting or just moved to Nola. I imagine I was not the only one, upon hearing of the first Po-Boy Fest in 2008, thought to themselves that this was a obvious idea that was long overdue. After all, the fine people of New Orleans are always looking for an excuse for drinking, eating, and listening to live music, and lord knows that we all love the humble po-boy. But of course most of the po-boys at the fest were far from humble. I suppose the most challenging aspect of attending is figuring out what to eat--I suggest checking out the website before hand and coming up with a game plan. I had three po-boys myself at the 2009 fest (which is the subject of this here review) and while I was stuffed, a few hours later I was wishing I had just gone for broke, doubled down, and crammed six into the belly. The timing of the festival is rather interesting. Occurring in November on a Sunday, it is pretty much guaranteed to clash with a football game. Expect to see plenty of conflicted Saints fans (do I listen to the Rebirth Brass Band or watch the game at Ninja?) and Saints jerseys (2009 Saints jersey ratios: 12 Brees to every two McAllister to one of every other player, with no Bush sitings reported). This also means weather a tad on the chilly side, although I will take a slight chill over the flop house sweating of the summer festivals. A one star deduction because of the street set up, which is great for food browsing but not for watching live music. Oh, and while it did not win best of show, the best in my belly was Emril's shrimp, fried green tomatoes, and bacon po-boy. Damn, I just made myself hungry. 2010 Update: Hmm, it seems that last year I arrived at the Fest during the Saints game, and as a result the crowd was not overwhelming. This year the Saints were on a bye week, and the crowd was nuts. From what I hear, it was absolutely packed from 11 AM, so getting there early might not be enough. Yikes. Hopefully the organizers will get through these growing pains and figure out how to handle the crowd, but until then Fest-goers should prepare accordingly. One thing I can say is that you should think twice before bringing young kids.

There were, of course, Po-Boys. Lots and lots of Po-Boys, and from what I understand, they were quite delicious! Unfortunately, I only got to try two of them, as we arrived at 6pm (it was supposed to go until 7pm) and 99% of everything was sold out. The food was also over-priced, but that is expected at a festival. It was also extremely crowded. I hope that how early the food sold out, combined with the overcrowding, might prompt some changes for next year. Perhaps a larger venue? It was nice that they spread the food vendors out, but it still was not very stroller-friendly trying to walk through the crowds. All in all, I had an okay time, but I probably would not have made the trip from the Westbank if I had known they would sell out early.

This is without a doubt one of my top two favorite festivals in the city; probably of them all. I've been coming since the first year and it keeps gaining in popularity and outcome. Witness as Oak street is transformed from the already hip part of 'deep uptown' sporting shops, bars, and restaurants to a corridor of tents and stages lining the street and take note of how there is not one unhappy face to be found. I really notice how everyone seems so happy at this fest. I personally deem it the happiest fest in New Orleans. I mean, what's there not to be happy about when you have some of the city's best restaurants, food trucks, and every other avenue of culinary creations coming with their A-game?! Always taking place the Sunday before Thanksgiving, it's a date you don't have to think much to remember. Although, I really wish they extend it into a two-day festival. There just isn't enough room in my tummy to fit all the food I wish to try in only one day. by the fourth poboy, I'm maxed out, sofa king status. Let me tell ya, that VIP pass is where it's at! With it, you can jump straight to the front of the line so no more worrying about if you're going to get that sought after sandwich before they run out. There's also a designated VIP lounge area with 'free' drinks, food, desserts, TV's, it was nice to have a place to break from all the hoo-hah. I also have friends who live on Oak st so the deal was super sweet! Off the recommendation of Kelleigh E., i stopped at Walker's BBQ for their Cochon de lait: superb! Also went to Parkway and had the Baby Maker which I would say would be the number one poboy of the festival. Perfectly fried oysters with bacon, remoulade topped with cheddar cheese which is blow-torched...oh man...it was all of the business! I also had the banana foster which was insanely tasty, unfortunately, I don't remember the name of the place it came from (sorry) but they were down on the end of Oak st right by the stage close to the levee. It's a smart idea to ride a bicycle (or motorbike) here if you can because the parking situation is heinous. I also heard they sent meter maids out (on a Sunday?!) to ticket people so be on the lookout. Until next year my beloved, coveted poboy fest!

MMmmMmmmMMm probably one of my favorite festivals. Pro Tip: Go online and print yourself a copy of the map of the festival, not only will you be able to find your favorite restaurants, but you'll also be able to see what type of poboy each vendor has for the day. That means, no more coming to poboy fest and hoping to find something you want. Obviously drinks are expensive (I'm talking $5 for a 12oz can of Abita). Some places offer half size but not all of them do. Just come prepared to spend money eating your way down the street. This year I didn't get there until 3PM and there were still poboys everywhere. Because I knew what I wanted, we could easily use the side streets to make our way around some of the stagnant crowds. This is not the best place for dogs, the crowd is really thick and there is likely food items all over the ground. It really is better to drive than use the street car. The street car is PACKED. We parked on the other side of Carrollton and took the 6 block walk.

As an out-of-towner, I had to check out an event dedicated to something as celebrated as the po'boy. Even arriving at the later end of the event around 5PM this place was PACKED. Granted some vendors ran out of food and some had long lines, but you can tell the people love their po'boys and were enthusiastic enough about them to crawl at a snail's pace like a moving school of sardines through the long blocks of Oak St. to check out the vendors. The Garlic Shrimp po'boy from Barcelona Tapas was tasty, but I wish the crowds weren't so big so I can try more. I should have expected this sort of madness when the event was advertised in the tourist guide magazine in my hotel room. Definitely a laid-back fun even with good food, friendly people and good live music. This is how the real New Orleans feels like.

My first time at Po-Boy Fest was a few weeks ago, and I'll probably never miss it again. It's a simple, well done, one-day-only block party. Admission is FREE with lots of beer, wine and cocktails and even better food. My food-loving friend was absolutely in heaven. I think he almost cried because he didn't have enough room in his belly to try everything. Save up. Go hungry. Try everything. Vietnamese po-boys, chicken liver po-boys, Emeril's tomatoes, Pascal Manales Shrimp po-boys, BBQ oyster po-boys...the list goes on and on. There are two stages on either end of the festival with plenty of local bands throughout the day. The atmosphere was warm, friendly, and great for people/pet watching. It can be a bit crowded, but that just means people like it. If you need a break, the streets are lined with bars and eateries to have a seat and catch the Saint game. It's one day only so don't miss it!

A fun way to experience Oak Street, especially for someone who at the time had only been in town for 1.5 weeks. The vendors bring all all their best po-boys, and you can sample a huge variety of them. I had a delicious duck po boy from Crabby Jack's (sharing a booth with Jacque-imo's in front of the restaurant), and a really delicious crabcake po boy from another booth. But really, the variety is great especially all in one place. Best of all, admission is free and it's a party on the street. Another tip: If Rebirth Brass Band is playing, go watch them and dance with everyone else on the street during the performance.

A great festival of poboys that is well worth the wait in lines. Best bet is to eat the smallest portions so you can spread your taste buds around the festival and come very hungry. An ever expanding festival that will soon be too big for Oak Street.

Fun!! Well organized and tons of delicious po-boys to choose from! The crowds were spread out well, and lines were moving quickly. Plenty of beer, bathrooms and music for all. My only complaint was this years poster/tshirts. The posters were much too expensive, and posters are meant to be inexpensive by design. The art was fun, but the artist was taking himself a bit too seriously-only printing by order, forcing you to buy a matted or framed version, and scrawling his signature over a third of the space! Previous years designs were better suited to this type of event. Anyway, food was excellent! Definitely check it out!

You have to get there early, or else forget about it. We arrived at opening and rushed to the lobster po-boy stand. Seriously, already a 20 minute wait. If you got in line a half hour later, you might as well just give up the rest of your day. Bands down the side streets helped, but still, by 12:30, it was wall-to-wall people. Great if you like that sort of thing. Me? Not so much. Good thing we didn't want to stick around, even though we were tempted by the band schedule. And either use public transportation, or if you must drive, carpool. Parking within 10 blocks becomes non-existent after 11am.

Another great year for the Po-Boy Festival. We go early and the crowds appeared a little thinner at the start this year. But as we left it was picking up as the weather turned warmer. Vincent's Italian Cuisine was outstanding again. Enjoyed their Godfather Po-Boy made with brisket, meatball, Italian sausage, mozzarella, basil, and red sauce. And the Corn and Crabmeat Bisque in the bread bowl had our stomachs filled very early. Vaucresson Sausage is the best Hot Sausage anywhere. The half Po-Boy for $3.00 with peppers and onions was so good we went back for seconds. A bit disappointed with the Seither's Blackened Shrimp and Avocado Po-Boy. Good but not at the level that had me licking my lips. The Art displayed at the nearby school is also worth a visit. A number of local artists with various and unique works occupied the yard. We left with two purchases from local artist Alan Zakem. This festival is just another reason among a great many why living in the Crescent City is a fantastic way to pass a grand time.

I enjoyed the catfish po boy from ajun cagin. The lines moved pretty quickly. It was a little crowded than last year. The great thing is there many opinions for just about anyone.

Other than a good cup of gumbo, the next most important food that comes to mind when thinking of authentic New Orleans eats are Po Boys! There's a Po Boy shop on most corners in the french quarter, so what's better than an entire festival devoted to the sandwiches everyone craves? The New Orleans Po Boy Festival is a conglomeration of what makes Nola stand out! It's filled with crowds of happy (and hungry) people, and food carts/stands with the best of new orleans! I tried the Boucherie's BBQ shrimp Po Boy, smoked beef Bourguignon Po Boy with french onion dip, and their fresh cut french fries! Everything was well seasoned, and left me very satisfied. There were so many other options to choose from, but the lines were so long! My advice to myself and everyone else for next year is to get a VIP pass (I still haven't figured out how to do this yet), that way you get to avoid the lines... Also, apparently there are maps, which you can print out in advance, and plan your adventure! It's a great way to make sure you find the food carts that you want to find!

Not one moment in my life did I ever think that a Po' Boy could come in so many variations, but for this sandwich to go international is a testament to the creative geniuses of New Orleans chefs. A Vietnamese Po' Boy. Yep. German, Ja. Mexican. Si señor. Vegan, that too. Italian? Fogetaboutit! French, in a crepe! What?! I ate so much and drank too much Abita beer that I'm amazed I can write this review while taking the streetcar back to my hotel. I think I'm gonna yell "Who Dat" and see who responds. WHO DAT?!!!

The vendors are mostly good local restaurants you can find here on Yelp, but if you're actually interested in food you're much better off going to the physical restaurant with a real kitchen. Without a doubt, you can get a better po-boy at any po-boy shop or corner store in the city, and it's guaranteed that the ones coming fresh out of an actual kitchen will taste significantly better than the poboys served from a stand at a festival, not excluding this one. Add to it that it's so overcrowded with college kids, tourists, hipsters, and all various forms of humanity that you'll park 20 minutes away just so you can stand on a street drinking $4 foamy keg beer from a plastic cup while you wait in a never-ending line for a skimpy, subpar po-boy. By the time you finally get through a line, you'll be so hungry and half-drunk you'll dump hot sauce all over the five pieces of shrimp and actually think it's an awesome po-boy, and the next day, after your hangover wears off from the warm, foamy Abita ambers you chugged while waiting in line, you'll write a four-star Yelp review about your experience. They do have some good local bands playing on the stages, which to me is really the main draw, but that said, you can also see any of these bands in clubs on any given night with better sound systems and ambience. The day of this festival, however, is a great time to go hit up a restaurant. While all the throngs of mouth-breathers are crowded in lines here, that means more room at tables at Parkway, Domilise's, Guy's, Johnny's or Parran's.