The heartbeat of Tremé returns to Armstrong Park this November as the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation hosts the 2025 Tremé Creole Gumbo Festival, a free, two-day celebration steeped in brass band tradition, Creole flavor, and the cultural legacy of one of America’s most historic neighborhoods.
Taking place November 8 and 9 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., the festival transforms Louis Armstrong Park into a showcase of New Orleans pride, featuring a lineup that reads like a roll call of the city’s most beloved musical ambassadors. Festival-goers will hear powerhouse performances from Rebirth Brass Band, Hot 8 Brass Band, The Original Pinettes Brass Band, Tremé Brass Band, Trumpet Mafia, James Andrews, and more.
But music is only one part of the story. True to its name, gumbo takes center stage. Local cooks and culture bearers will serve up traditional, and creative takes on the city’s signature dish, with interactive cooking demonstrations offering a look into the craft and soul behind each pot. Alongside the food and music, visitors can browse a market of handmade art, experience kid-friendly activities, and meet local creators keeping Tremé’s cultural traditions alive.
For the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, this festival embodies its mission: investing in the culture that makes this city unlike any other. Best known as the organization behind the world-famous New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, the Foundation reinvests festival proceeds into year-round cultural programming across the region. Its work includes music education through the Don “Moose” Jamison Heritage School of Music, cultural lectures, youth workshops, grants for artists and community groups, and additional free public festivals like Congo Square Rhythms, Crescent City Blues & BBQ, and Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco.
The Foundation’s impact also extends beyond events. Through WWOZ 90.7FM, the Jazz & Heritage Archive, and the George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center, it amplifies and preserves Louisiana’s music, history, and artistic traditions for future generations.
With its blend of live brass bands, artisans, family activities, and bowls of steaming gumbo, the 2025 Tremé Creole Gumbo Festival is a fantastic celebration of a neighborhood that has shaped American music and culture for centuries. And like the best gumbo, it brings together community, history, and real New Orleans flavor.
For the full music schedule and vendor lists, visit the festival website here.
