August finds New Orleans sweltering under oppressive heat and humidity that makes it hard to do much of anything outside except sit on porches and sip frosty drinks. Wait… that doesn’t sound so bad, does it? 

With hotel prices at their lowest and the month-long COOLinary New Orleans discounts running at 80+ of the best restaurants in town, August is actually a great (and money-saving) time to visit.

Just prepare to spend a lot of time doing indoors-y things: long, luxurious lunches, strolls through the city’s exceptional museums, live concerts at night, and perhaps a bit of shopping. 

Average High: 90 F / 32 C
Average Low: 73 F / 23 C

Packing Tips:

You’ll obviously want comfortable, loose-fitting, summery clothes, but remember that Gulf Coasters like to air condition their indoor spaces to Arctic levels, so bring a layer of some sort (cardigan, pashmina, light jacket) for restaurants, museums, and the like. 

If you plan on eating in one of the old-line restaurants that require men to be in pants and jackets, know that the restrictions are not typically lifted during the summer months; you’ll still need these things. 

New Orleans summer is known for frequent afternoon rain showers, so a small folding umbrella isn’t a bad idea. And if you were clever enough to get a hotel with a swimming pool, don’t forget your swimsuit!

August Event Highlights:

COOLinary New Orleans (all of August) - This promotion sees special discounted prix-fixe menus pop up at participating restaurants all over the city.

2015 participants include Broussard’s, Commander’s Palace, GG’s Dine-O-Rama, Muriel’s, Pascal’s Manale, and Tivoli and Lee, among dozens of others. 

Satchmo Summerfest (July 31-August 2) - This multi-stage event takes place throughout the French Quarter and features jazz and other music in the spirit of Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong. 

White Linen Night (Aug. 1) - Revelers don all-white clothing to drink, dine, and stroll the contemporary art galleries of Julia Street, as well as the nearby museums.

Dirty Linen Night (Aug. 8) - A lowbrow version of White Linen night brings people to the eat, sip, and stroll through the art and antique stores of Royal Street, ostensibly in their red-wine-stained clothes from the week before. 

Red Dress Run (Aug. 8) - Hosted by the New Orleans Hash Hound Harriers — “a drinking club with a running problem” — this outrageous event sees hundreds of people, men and women alike, bedecked in red dresses and running through the streets of the French Quarter to raise money for charity. 

New Orleans Sushi Festival (Aug. 16) - Taste sushi, sake, and other Japanese specialties while sushi chefs compete for a variety of prizes.  

Rising Tide (Aug. 29) - This conference sees local new media experts, writers, environmentalists, historians, and other interesting folks coming together to discuss and take action for the future of New Orleans. Originally organized by a group of local bloggers a year after Hurricane Katrina, it remains an important force for change ten years after the levees failed. 

Outside of Town:

The rest of Louisiana is also fairly sleepy in August -- perhaps even moreso than New Orleans proper -- but there is one particularly fabulous event worth making a day-trip for: the Delcambre Shrimp Festival (Aug. 12-16).

Delcambre (pronounced "DEL-kum") is small shrimping community to the Southeast of Lafayette which celebrates the town's most abundant export with this annual festival. Events include live music, a midway, a shrimp cookoff, and the annual "Blessing of the Fleet" -- a cherished Louisiana tradition that sees the local priest blessing the shrimping boats and the fishermen who ride them, wishing them abundant harvest and safe sailing.