Is this really the right time to start the French Quarter Fest at all?”
FQFI is a self-sustaining, nonprofit 501(c) (3) corporation, inspired and supported by the city administration. All of our festivals are free and open to the public. With assistance from a committed corps of more than 1,000 volunteers from all segments of the community, FQFI produces three major annual events that have a combined projected economic impact in excess of $100 million, attracting over 500,000 persons annually to the city. These include the French Quarter Festival, Christmas New Orleans Style, and the Satchmo SummerFest. For more than 20 years, FQFI has contributed approximately $150,000 toward maintenance and beautification of public areas such as Jackson Square and Woldenberg Riverfront Park. The organization generally pays approximately $10,000-$12,000 per year in city sales taxes, depending on the success of individual events. The financial health of the organization relies solely on self-generated sponsorships, event revenue, grants and fundraising. The 6-member staff
The French Quarter Festival officially began on Friday. The festival brought performances like Big Sam’s Funky Nation, as well as some other New Orleans brass bands. The event is one of the largest free music festivals in the region, with it drawing more than 435,000 attendees last year. There will be more than a dozens stages this year, so it should be extra special.
