CONGO SQUARE RHYTHMS FESTIVAL
food vendor application
Application Deadline is Friday, February 20th at 11:00 pm (CT)
Food Vendor Applications are now open for the 2026 Congo Square Rhythms Festivals
The Congo Square Rhythms Festival will take place March 28 -29, 2026, at Louis Armstrong Park (701 N. Rampart Street) in New Orleans. The food vendor application deadline is Friday, February 20th at 11:00 pm (CT)
Congo Food Vendors
Hot Food Vendors: Booth Fee – $600
Litter/Damage Deposit: $200. (Refundable if booth space is left clean and sales report turned in)
Dessert Vendors: Booth Fee – $300
The application deadline is Friday, February 20th at 11:00 pm (CT)
Contact: vendors@jazzandheritage.org // 504-558-6103
The 15th Annual Congo Square Rhythms Festivals are a syncopated tribute to the contributions of New Orleans’ historic Tremé neighborhood, with dozens of local band performances and many of the city’s top restaurants offering their version of New Orleans’ culinary staples.
The festival takes place from 10:45 am to 7:30 p.m. at Louis Armstrong Park, 701 N. Rampart St., New Orleans, LA 70116 on Saturday, March 28th, and Sunday, March 29th.
Only restaurants or caterers who are fully licensed, permitted, and insured for selling food to the public in Orleans Parish will be considered.
As we’ve done for years, we will offer a smorgasbord of New Orleans’ signature dish, in a variety of styles: Gumbo z’herbes, shrimp and oyster, chicken and andouille, Creole filé, dark roux, gluten-free and – yes – vegan – all of these and more will be served in our expanded food court. In additional to their gumbo, vendors also have the option to serve up to three additional dishes.
Vendors will be chosen based on several criteria; wholesome food that is made from scratch, how well they fit into the festival’s theme, who can collectively offer the greatest assortment of food samplings, (which include other options including vegetarian and vegan dishes), and of course food that is made with love. No carnival-type food will be considered. Vendors will also agree to refrain from using monosodium glutamate(MSG) as well as High Fructose Corn Syrup in their recipes.
All applicants will receive notices about whether or not they are invited to participate, and those accepted will receive a contract to confirm their participation. Previous participation in this festival does not guarantee acceptance.
If you are a dessert or pastry vendor, please make a note of this in your application, as your menu will not be held to comparable restrictions, and your contract will be different. The booth fee for dessert vendors is $300. You will need to supply your own 10×10 tent. Please proceed with filling out the application.
Hot/Savory Food Vendors, before proceeding to the application, please read the Food Vendor Information Guide which explains in detail all that is required before you can be accepted to vend with the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation.