Major Annual Events Fairs & Festivals on the Northshore

Abita Springs Opry hosts seasonal Louisiana roots music concerts.

Here’s just a sampling of the fairs and festivals on the Northshore. For a complete list of the many events that infuse St. Tammany Parish with its joie de vivre, click on Calendar of Events to search by month.

Mardi Gras Parades
In February, St. Tammany celebrates the carnival season with many family-friendly parades that include decorative floats and costumed riders showering crowds with beads and trinkets. St. Tammany also adds a twist to the carnival season with two boat parades on the water: The Krewe of Bilge in Slidell and the Krewe of Tchefuncte in Madisonville. Krewe of Bilge 985-643-6680, Krewe of Tchefuncte 985-727-3422.

Abita Springs Opry
Live from the Abita Springs Town Hall, the Opry, whose mission is to preserve and present Louisiana Roots music, features old-time country, bluegrass and gospel performed on the original acoustic instruments, such as the banjo, mandolin, string bass, accordion, acoustic guitar and fiddle. The show is broadcast live on local television and radio stations monthly in the spring and fall. 985-892-0711.

Slidell Antique District Street Fair
Visitors crowd the streets of Slidell’s historic “Olde Towne” each spring and fall searching for antiques, china and vintage collectibles. Hundreds of antiques dealers and interior design specialists from around the country set up their wares in the streets of Olde Towne. 985-643-6727.

The Great Louisiana Bird Fest
Louisiana’s birding festival attracts wildlife enthusiasts from all over the country. Held in April, the festival features birding field trips and photography workshops guided by local experts to locations throughout St. Tammany Parish. 985-626-1238.

Jazz’n the Vines
Outdoor concert series offering a variety of musical styles from jazz, swing and bluegrass. Bring your blanket, lawn chair, umbrella, flashlight, picnic fare and thirst for wine and enjoy music under the stars. May to October. 985-892-9742.

Lacombe Crab Cook-Off
A celebration of southern Louisiana favorites – the great outdoors, live music and the Gulf Coast’s best seafood. Held each June under the moss-laden live oaks, the cook-off features thousands of crabs prepared a variety of ways, including soft-shell crab po-boys. 985-882-5528.

Louisiana Bicycle Festival
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Covington hosts the annual Three Rivers Art Festival. Renee Kientz

summertime treat for bicycle enthusiasts in June. Includes antique bicycle exhibits, bicycle flea market, St. Tammany Trace cruise, a log pull, unique bike contest, FAT tire clinic, prizes, high-wheeler demonstration and more. 985-892-2624.

Mandeville Seafood Festival
The second-oldest festival held in St. Tammany Parish featuring seafood and alternative dishes, arts and craft booths, children’s entertainment area and live music throughout the event, with the annual fireworks show on the Fourth of July. 985-624-9762.

Slidell Heritage Festival
Good old-fashioned family fun for the Fourth of July in Olde Towne. Featuring great Louisiana cuisine, drinks, foot-stomping music and children’s events. Don’t miss the fireworks over Bayou Bonfouca. 985-643-1234.

Madisonville Wooden Boat Festival
Hundreds of wooden boats line the shore of the Tchefuncte River each October for the largest gathering of watercraft on the Gulf Coast. Activities and live music entertain the crowds, including the Quick & Dirty Boat Building Contest and Race. 985-845-9200.

Three Rivers Art Festival
This juried arts festival held in November in Historic Downtown Covington attracts a talented group of artists and fine craftsmen from around the country. With more than 150 exhibiting artists, art lovers can choose from a wide selection in various media. 985-871-4141.

Arts Evening
Arts Evening, held in November in Olde Towne Slidell and one of the largest cultural events on the Northshore, is a celebration of visual and performing arts, dance and music showcasing the works of more than 100 local artists. Enjoy antiques shopping and dining, as well. 985-646-4375.

Christmas Under the Stars
A spectacular 10-night event in December, Christmas Under the Stars transforms Slidell’s Griffith Park into a winter wonderland of holiday lights, decorated trees, gingerbread houses, a miniature train village, Christmas cottages with animated figures and a life-size nativity with live animals and live entertainment. 985-646-4375.

Holiday of Lights
Opening ceremonies begin with a fireworks display, rides, thousands of lights and a visit from Santa. Enjoy live entertainment, music and choral groups singing your favorite holiday carols. View the spectacular light display on the Tammany Trace throughout the month of December. 985-867-9490.

Winter on the Water
This laser light show will delight, as lights and pyrotechnics dance to holiday favorites on Lake Pontchartrain. Throughout December enjoy a boat parade, Santa and Mrs. Claus, the stunning illumination of Lakeshore Drive, boat show finale and contest, horse-and-buggy rides at the Mandeville Trailhead and a Christmas tour of homes on Lakeshore Drive. 985-626-3144.