Full Steam Ahead!

We are thrilled to announce that two pieces FQJ published in 2025 are finalists in the New Orleans Press Club Awards!

Congrats to writers Cheryl Gerber and John S. Sledge!

We feel extremely fortunate to work with them and our other talented nominees!

We’d also like to thank all the readers who support FQJ and our terrific team of writers/photographers! We hope you’re as excited as we are! In case you missed the pieces first time around, we’ve included both in this newsletter below!

And speaking of steam:

It may be hot and humid here in New Orleans, but that’s not slowing anyone down! There are so many events this month, it’s clear that festival season has gobbled up the month of June!

This weekend you can enjoy the ever-popular Pride Parade (whose participants know how to dress for the heat) and the Naked Bike Parade (whose participants know how to undress for the heat while raising awareness for bike safety).

But wait! There’s a NEW festival on June 20th!

The inaugural Lafcadio Fest at the New Orleans Jazz Museum! We’ve got the backstory below and you’ll find details of the fest in the newsletter’s “Don’t Miss” section below.

Or go to our FQ Curated Events page for the full shebang of neighborhood happenings!

Photo: Pride Parade 2025, Krewe des Fleurs, FQJ Archives

FQJ Sponsor Spotlight: Matthew Peck Gallery

534 Royal Street

Matthew’s paintings capture the mystical qualities of New Orleans, the ones that ring a bell deep inside and evoke feelings you’d forgotten you have. That’s because he knows exactly where the magical rhythms of the city rise to the surface.

The painting above:

The Mystery of Us drifts through a fog-soaked Uptown street like a memory just beyond reach. The warm glow of a historic New Orleans streetcar cuts softly through the night while two figures walk closely beneath the trees, held together by something quieter than words.

In a city where light lingers on wet pavement and romance hides in the smallest gestures, the painting invites viewers into a moment that feels both deeply personal and universally familiar.

Collect the beauty of New Orleans in the haunting shadow and light of Matthew Peck's original French Quarter paintings and prints.

Learn more about the artist and the gallery in Matthew Peck: A Portrait of the Artist.

World Naked Bike Ride 2026

Saturday, June 13, 3pm lineup, 4pm start

Mickey Markey Park, 3301 Royal Street

Riding since 2009 in protest against fossil fuel dependence with a statement about the vulnerability of bike riders, World Naked Bike Ride is primarily a whole lotta naked joy!

photo: Melanie Cole for FQJ, 2024 World Naked Bike Ride (See our album!)

You’ll find the map on our curated French Quarter Events page!

Pride Parade

Saturday, June 13, 6–10pm

The fabulous Pride Parade starts on Elysian Fields near the Phoenix Bar, 941 Elysian Fields Avenue, and rolls through the French Quarter on Saturday night!

Revisit 2025’s Pride Parade with this album from FQJ’s archives!

Photo: Ellis Anderson

You’ll find the map on our curated French Quarter Events page!

NOLA Juneteenth Fest

Friday, June 19, 12pm
Armstrong Park / Congo Square

This year’s celebration in New Orleans takes place in Armstrong Park! Find details here!

Photo: Scott Saltzman for FQJ. See our album of photos from 2024's Juneteenth Fest in Armstrong Park!

Dark Matter Oddities - After Dark!

Friday, June 19, 7 - 9:30pm

822 Chartres Street

Join in a rare after-hours celebration on Friday, June 19th, from 7p - 9:30p as we showcase our newest macabre additions. Dark Matter is pulling out all of the stops!

Featured are many items that we've been hoarding -- from wet specimens, Victorian mementos, taxidermy, handmade artwork and much MORE!!

Find more information here on our curated French Quarter Events page!

Lafcadio Fest 2026

Saturday, June 20, 10:30 AM 5:15 PM

New Orleans Jazz Museum

Presented and produced by the Japan Society of New Orleans, Lafcadio Fest is a celebration of the life and legacy of New Orleans author Lafcadio Hearn.

Festivities include: a panel of scholars offering insights on Lafcadio's writings; a keynote from Hearn biographer Steve Kemme; talks by Krewe of Lafcadio founder John Kelly and Krewe of Rex float designer Caroline Thomas; community members' reflections on the ongoing connections between New Orleans and its sister city Matsue, Japan; food by Greta's Sushi; virtual "visits" from the Mayor of Matsue and Hearn's great-grandson; and music from Kanako Fuwa Brooks and Detroit Brooks!

Entry to the event is free and open to the public.

Find more information here on our curated French Quarter Events page!

2026 New Orleans Antiques Forum: Material Belief

Friday, August 7, 10am – Saturday, August 9, 2pm

The Historic New Orleans Collection’s Williams Research Center, 537 Conti St.

Registration opened to the general public on June 10th. This annual event ALWAYS SELLS OUT, so learn more and secure your tickets HERE

For the 2026 New Orleans Antiques Forum, the Historic New Orleans Collection explores the intersection of spiritual and material worlds, a rich landscape of antiques shaped by belief, devotion, and spiritual practice across cultures.

Image courtesy HNOC

Find more information here on our curated French Quarter Events page!