Lafayette Square

The second oldest park in New Orleans and still one of the city’s best venues for a day outside in the sun, Lafayette Square has etched a name for itself into the collective psyche of all who experience an outdoor festival in this beautiful community square while visiting downtown New Orleans.

Home to numerous outdoor concerts and festivals throughout the year, this compact urban park has played host to numerous inaugurations, civic events, and even the steeple which housed the bell used to ring curfew during the occupation of New Orleans during the Civil War. A true historical park, the park features a bronze statue of Henry Clay in the center of the park, and statues of John McDonogh and Benjamin Franklin on St. Charles Avenue and Camp Street, highlighting some of New Orleans most revered forefathers.

Designed in 1788 by Charles Laveau Trudeau, there are few parks in the US with more history, and few as easily accessible as Lafayette Square.