Springtime in St. Tammany Parish ushers in more than just longer days and Louisiana irises in bloom. It also launches the Northshore’s bustling spring festival season, which brings together Louisiana’s finest home-grown musical talent with great outdoor venues and unforgettable flavors, filling family calendars and picnic tables alike. So, dig out the sun hats, sandals, and lawn chairs and head out of doors to embrace springtime warmth, music, food and fun at one (or more) of these upcoming Northshore events.
Abita Springs Busker Festival
Ever strolled through New Orleans’ French Quarter and stumbled upon a street performer blowing an unforgettable tune on a trumpet for tips? Officially known as buskers, many of Crescent City buskers are natural-born entertainers capable of drawing huge crowds with their virtuosic open-air performances. This month, count on encountering some of the finest buskers from the greater New Orleans area all in one place, when the thirteenth annual Abita Springs Busker Festival returns to Abita Springs on Sunday, April 12 from 11 am–7 pm.
“The first busking group we hired was Tuba Skinny, and they had a way of connecting and grabbing the audience because they were used to putting the energy out there to collect tips,” said Bryan Gowland, former Abita Springs Mayor, producer of the Abita Springs Opry, and originator of the Busker Festival. “We thought these bands deserved to be heard by people besides tourists on Royal Street,” and thus, the annual tradition continued and grew.
A collaborative event sponsored by the Abita Springs Opry and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, this year’s festival will feature six one-hour acts, including Cajun band 'T Marie & Bayou Juju; honky-tonk and blues courtesy of Lily Unless & the If Onlys; Caribbean rhythms by Charlie Halloran and The Tropicales; all-female band The Crybabies playing traditional tunes; rhythm and blues from James McClaskey & the Rhythm Band; and classic New Orleans jazz by none other than Tuba Skinny himself.
“It draws from the regular Abita Springs Sunday market, where we have food trucks and craft vendors every Sunday afternoon,” added Gowland. “Abita Springs is the quintessential small town—a great environment and a beautiful place to have an event. If you’re a music lover, then the Abita Springs Busker Festival is the place to be.”
Click HERE for all you need to know about the Abita Springs Busker Festival.
All you can eat crawfish
Slidell’s All-You-Can-Eat Crawfish Cook-Off
Come prepared to twist, pull, and suck the heads off of myriad mudbugs at the All-You-Can-Eat Crawfish Cook-Off on Saturday, April 18 in Slidell's Fritchie Park. Said by some to be the largest crawfish cook-off in the world, Slidell’s annual rite of spring attracts more than fifty teams, who compete for the coveted title of “Best Crawfish in St. Tammany Parish.” With 40,000+ pounds of crawfish and enough corn, potatoes, heads of garlic, and lemons to fill a month of Sundays, attendees are encouraged to bring their biggest appetites, and nimble fingers, too.
The cook-off also features live entertainment, celebrity judges, and beverages and non-crawfish-based dishes for sale. Proceeds benefit the Hospice Foundation of the South, which provides resources for medical and emotional care for terminally ill patients. Get tickets online, or at the gate the day of the event.
Covington Antiques & Uniques Festival
Calling all collectors! Mark off the weekend of April 18—19, 2026, when more than fifty vendors will be plying their wares at the Covington Antiques and Uniques Festival. For an eleventh year running, this beloved event will fill the Covington Tammany Trace Trailhead with curated treasures—from antique furnishings and architectural salvage to silver, period collectibles, and vintage arts and crafts. Comb through coveted finds while enjoying music from live bands playing from the trailhead stage, and festival food for sale. The juried event is hosted by the Covington Heritage Foundation and runs from 10 am–5 pm Saturday and Sunday.
For more information on events throughout the year in St. Tammany Parish, check out Visit the Northshore.
