Fall festival season continues this weekend with the fifth annual Fried Chicken Festival at a new location on the New Orleans Lakefront.
With more than 30 vendors from near and far as well as more than 100 musicians slated to perform across two stages, festival goers can taste the best of the best fried chicken while listening to some of the city's most famed artists.
Vendors include popular food trucks like Southerns and Bonafried, festival returners like Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken and local restaurants Alma Café and Ba Chi Canteen.
Chef Jeffery Heard Sr., owner of Heard Dat Kitchen, said Thursday that his truck is packed up and ready for the event.
"It's been a lot of work, but we're all really excited," Heard said.
The weekend menu for Heard Dat Kitchen includes their award winning Bourbon Street Love, fried chicken over home style macaroni & cheese topped with a signature crawdat cream sauce, a Skeesh Chicken Sandwich and Crawdat Mac and Cheese.
Heard said he created the skeesh chicken a while back with a pepper jelly, but his son reworked the recipe by adding even more spices.
"He really skeeshed it up," he said. "He took it to the next level."
The Skeesh sandwich will be one of many chicken sandwiches available at the-long awaited fest.
Heard said he wants everyone to come out and try his food because the taste is something they'll never forget.
"We're all about memories and experiences," he said. "Once you have what we serve, you'll be remembering it whenever you think about the festival."
Along with food, music and a custom car show, over the course of the weekend there will be opportunities for attendees to participate in contests and cooking demonstrations. They can also support the festival's beneficiary, Son of a Saint, by purchasing the featured Sonny's Margarita. The local non-profit provides mentorship and resources to fatherless boys in New Orleans.
The Roots of Music marching band and 610 Stompers dance troupe will make special appearances each day at 12:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. respectively, at the Canes Square.
Fried Chicken Festival kicks off at 11 a.m. Saturday at Lakeshore Drive and Franklin Avenue. General admission is $15 for per day or $20 for the full weekend.
This year's festival is a cashless event. Only credit and debit cards or cash apps will be accepted by vendors.
For more information visit friedchickenfestival.com.
Restaurant lineup
Afrodisiac • Alma Cafe • Ba Chi Canteen • Bof Bars • Bonafried • Divine Cuisine • Em Trai Sandwich Co • Finna Eat • Fresh Fruit Sensations
Gumbo Gouroux • Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken • Heard Dat Chicken • Josephine's Kitchen • Kajun Kidd • Keyala’s Pralines • Kok Wings And Things • La Delyo’s Creole Catering
Lil’ Dustin’s Italian Ice • Ms. Dee’s Catering Cuisine LLC • Nola Crawfish King • Oh Taste And See • Pollo • Rouses Markets • Soule’ Cafe • Southerns • Stuff’d • Tasty Treat Catering
Theaudric’s Real Clever Cuisine • Tiger’s Creole Cuisine • Valerie’s Sno-Balls • We Dat’s • Wing Daddy
Entertainment lineup
The Soul Rebels • Mannie Fresh • Pnc • Chris Ardoin • Flowtribe • Big Sam’s Funky Nation • Shamarr Allen • Amanda Shaw • Flag Boy Giz
Water Seed • Sweet Crude • Brass-A-Holics • Big 6 Brass Band • Tonya Boyd-Cannon
Dj Keith Scott • Dj Antwigadee! • Dj Rakim • Tbc Brass Band • Mainline • Jodeci Juice Joint • Joce Blends • Letrainiump
