Beignet Fest announces 2024 festival date, shifts to cooler temperatures

Written By Alicia Vial

NEW ORLEANS – The Beignet Fest Foundation announced today the seventh annual Beignet Fest will take place Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at New Orleans City Park’s Festival Grounds. The date marks a two-month shift for Beignet Fest, which is usually held in late September. Organizers are seeking cooler weather for the event, which has endured record heat the last two years.

“This past September, nearly 12,000 fest goers attended Beignet Fest and raised critical funds for children on the autism spectrum,” says Sherwood Collins, co-founder and executive director of Beignet Fest and the Beignet Fest Foundation. “But while attendees chowed down on more than 50 unique takes on sweet and savory beignets and enjoyed live local music, the heat made it a challenge to fully enjoy the day.”

Ticketholder feedback has been overwhelmingly positive year-over-year, except for one chief complaint around high temperatures that come with a late September event. Working with City Park and keeping in mind the robust fall festival schedule, Beignet Fest organizers identified the new date with the hope that cooler temperatures will mean a more enjoyable day with larger crowds to take advantage of all the festival fun.

As the event grows, organizers are focused on continuing to deliver the quintessential culture of New Orleans through food, music and art. The one-of-a-kind, fully activated and sensory friendly Kids Village created by Children’s Hospital New Orleans will return this year, along with live music, a locally curated art market, and of course, delicious beignets of all kinds!

With the popularity of VIP tickets last year, organizers have plans to offer more elevated experiences with multiple tents and larger spaces. VIP tickets are expected to sell out prior to the Nov. 16 festival.

For those interested in sponsoring Beignet Fest or participating as a food or art vendor can contact info@beignetfest.com.

Beignet Fest entertainment and ticket sales will be announced in the spring. All proceeds will benefit the Beignet Fest Foundation to celebrate, embrace and empower the lives of children with autism and their families. To learn more, visit beignetfest.com.

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About Beignet Fest Foundation:
Beignet Fest is a premier food festival in Louisiana that celebrates one of New Orleans’s most iconic dishes all in one place on one day. Proceeds from Beignet Fest benefit the Beignet Fest Foundation, which raises awareness and support for programs in Greater New Orleans that serve autistic youth and their families. 

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Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

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