Bayou Bon Vivant Cajun Music Food & Art Festival

This was my first time attending the festival and it won't be the last! The weather initially had rain in the forecast but it ended up being warm and sunny, perfect weather to be at Town Point Park. We attended on Saturday and it wasn't very crowded when arrived around 5:30pm. We found seats on the lawn and got in line for the main attraction...crawfish! There were 5 main food vendors carrying everything from fried seafood platters, gumbo, bourbon chicken, jambalaya, seafood paella to shrimp and grits. There was a vendor selling roasted corn (you could add spices and Parmesan cheese a la elote style) and lemonade. There was a funnel cake vendor who also had fried Oreos which were both good. The lines for some of the food vendors were long and took a while so I would recommend splitting up if you're with a group or another person and doing multiple vendors to save time. Some vendors also sold out of certain items so beware if you go later in the day. There was only one crawfish vendor who also had boudin. The crawfish came in a large styrofoam take out container with a piece of corn and a potato. While delicious the crawfish was very spicy. I enjoy spicy food but this was burn your lips and make them numb hot. It was difficult to get through the entire box because of this. We also tried the fried oyster platter and the crab cake sandwich from another stall. The oysters were fried perfectly and the hush puppies were delicious. The crab cake was ok, I preferred the oysters. The roasted corn was good, I added Cajun seasoning and Parmesan to mine. We also tried the gumbo which was flavorful but a little too runny for my taste. The funnel cake and fried Oreos were a hit. The live entertainment was amazing. The bands featured did an amazing job and added a nice vibe to the evening. Overall it was a fun and enjoyable event and I would definitely recommend attending. It is also family friendly, there were several families with children attending.

Went to Bayou Boogaloo on Saturday afternoon. No matter what time we would have went, there was no escaping the heat. Hot and sweaty was an understatement for the day. I really wish more shaded areas were provided. The live music was awesome as always. You just can't go wrong with live music. Police could be found almost everywhere and I loved how friendly and engaging they were. A lot of them complimented my family and I really appreciated their presence at the event. So I know people are drawn to this event for the food and music. But wow, lines and wait times for the food was outrageous. I'm talking 45 minutes and up. And in the heat with not so much shade around the food areas, this was slight torture. A lot of money was spent on drinks to hydrate throughout our duration there. Great concept bringing the feels of 'nawlins' but I was just ready to leave instead of trying out all the places and vendors. Definitely will have to come more prepared with spray fans and umbrellas.

Oh Bayou Boogaloo until we meet again next year. This festival is particularly interesting, because my husband is from New Orleans. I always get uneasy, because he becomes overly critical regarding New Orleans style food. What we did not realize until later, was that some of these food vendors are actually from New Orleans. We typically tend to shy away from the local restaurants, attempting to cook this type of food. We ate so much food at this festival, I don't know how we didn't sleep the rest of the day. We had: CrawfishJambalayaChicken wings and beignetsPlatter w/ Crabcakes, alligator bites, Rice, in Bourbon chickenRum punchEverything was amazingly great we can't wait till next year. What I did not understand was, three different musical acts all performing at once. They were situated in three different areas but it was kind of a little different.

This is one of the must go to festivals of the year! Get the feel of Nawlins! Great music! Great food! A lot of awesome vendors to buy from. This year they had more tables and chairs set up which was really nice to sit and eat comfortably.

My wife and I love this festival and try to attend every year. The only reason I'm giving them 4 stars and not 5 is because they took away a lot of the heat protecting amenities in 2018 such as tents and umbrellas to give patrons a break from the sun. It was extremely hot and sunny this year and without the additional tents and umbrellas my wife and I couldn't stay and participate as long as we wanted. Other then that the festival offers Cajun cuisine fresh from Louisiana along with music and beverages and everything is delicious!Check them out!

Easy going...chillaxing. I attended the festival on Friday and Saturday.Now Friday in my opinion is for those that want to attend but without the hustle and bustle of the crowd, traffic, and long lines for food. But that takes the fun out of it all.If you are like me, I love crowds and energetic folk just walking around living life with huge smiles on their faces!!! Now that's a Boogaloo just waiting to happen :)Saturday's festivities were in full swing. I arrived about 6pm and it was already crowded...loved it!!I was super lucky to find parking on the street so parking costed me... zero coins/dollars!! However, if you are unlucky they do charge $5 for event parking in the surrounding parking garages.Don't forget your lawn chair, blanket or cushion because if you aren't lucky to grab a seat on one of the 10 or less benches in the park you are gonna wanna sit at some point. Now unless you are a party hearty person and don't mind walking around and grooving the entire time...no seat is needed (I didn't need a seat either :))I was lucky to snag VIP tickets for this event ($75 per person). Even though I didn't pay for them (I won them through a Yelp Contest...go me!!!!) it was well worth it! If you plan on drinking and eating...then VIP is the way to go! The ticket included: entrance into the park, enhanced views of the main stage, complimentary drinks (beer, wine and a southern comfort drink...unlimited), finger foods and snacks (fried fish, hot sausages with peppers served on a bun, spicy rice, hushpuppies, chips...unlimited), large tent, stand up tables (very few), limited seating, and a private restroom trailer. The works pretty much. I left the festival full and happy!!!Music acts performed on 2 stages. However, I only saw acts on the main stage and they all were great. There was even a parade of umbrellas that marched through the lawn audience...so awesome!! From the looks of people, they had a great time! Some more than others...dancing out of their seats, dancing with the children and some folk right in front of the stage with their drink in one hand and the other hand in the air...just grooving to the sounds!!There are vendors from all over that come out to this event. Some vendors are more expensive than others...but it's a festival so just keep in mind to spend wisely.They have activities for the children. Also the Rad Hatter was there...everyone (all ages) came to the tables and decorated their own hat (paper bag) and wore it proudly (so did I)!!I really enjoy this festival every year.If you love good music, a good time, good eats...you should definitely stop on in. Tickets are $10 but $20 for a 3 day pass (Fri-Sun). Also if you go on Friday before 5pm it is free...money saver indeed!Have fun!!

The weather was beautiful on Sunday when we went to the festival. My husband and I had a great time! The live music performers did a great job! They had a band playing at the main stage while there was a piano duet going on near the food vendors. They had a good number of food vendors. I overheard someone say their jambalaya is the worst she had ever tasted. I personally haven't tried it so I couldn't say... but the crawfish I had was good. :) It was neat to walk around and see the different small businesses out there as well. Overall it was a fun way to spend the Sunday afternoon.

Apparently this festival was free for AT&T users until this year. But I have Verizon, so it doesn't matter to me. Nevertheless, woe is y'all. I got schooled by a group of women who attend every year on the importance of the Bayou Boogaloo. It is authentic, as big deal artists from New Orleans are performing all weekend. There are cooking demos, art shows, pepper eating contests, a bar, and countless food tents. Town Point Park does an excellent job of bringing the Bayou to Norfolk for a weekend, so they say. I've never been [to New Orleans]. So this is my second year of NoLa in Norfolk. But it doesn't suck.

I really enjoyed myself here. A nice taste of home. The crawfish at NOLA boils was flavorful. It wasn't spicy but it was still good. I wish they had real snowballs at the festival and not shaved ice. It's not the same trust me. I had a good conversation and bought a painting from a local New Orleans artist, Bonnie Jean Miller. Check her out. Entertainment was nice. New Breed Bass Band, Funky Meters, a zydeco band, and more. I'll definitely come back year after year.

Lived the music and atmosphere, except you need more shade. It is just to hit to scorch in the sun. Food was good and advanced crawfish sales were fantastic! NORFOLK police are fabulous at these events. Bathrooms, water pumps, and disinfectant pumps were placed well. Thanks for the location of vendors in middle and spray fans to cool off. I have vine to this event for a decade and I love it, but Mire shade is needed!