Our Sustainability Efforts

French Quarter Festivals, Inc. (FQFI) works year-round to uplift and sustain Louisiana’s cultural resources, but in recent years, we recognized an urgent need to safeguard and nurture our natural resources as well. This understanding means reducing the environmental impact of the cultural celebrations that are such an essential part of life in Louisiana so we can ensure they continue for generations to come. To address this issue, FQFI launched a sustainability initiative for festivals called Geauxing Green in 2021. The program focuses on trash and marine debris prevention, waste diversion, and environmental education.

Our Success

• 9 Festivals Strong: Geauxing Green has been implemented at nine of our festivals since its launch.
• 288K+ Pounds Diverted: 288,408 pounds of waste has been kept out of landfills, which represents 38% of all festival waste since 2021.
• Record Success at Satchmo SummerFest: 65.7% of all waste was recycled or composted at 2025’s event.
• French Quarter Festival Impact: 44% of waste was diverted from landfills at the 2025 annual event (over 71,000 lbs!).
• Green Team Dedication: Our incredible Green Team volunteers have contributed 1,940 hours to date on these vital environmental efforts.
• Souvenir Cups: Our reusable keepsakes reduce waste, support our programming, and help you cherish the memories.
• Back of House: We continue to improve recycling processes in the ‘Back of House’ at our events for cooking grease, grey water, glass, cardboard, old vinyl signage, merch, and more! 

HOW YOU CAN HELP

VOLUNTEER: Find out more about volunteering on the Green Team at French Quarter Festival and Satchmo Summer Festival. 

ATTEND: All food vendors have committed to using only compostable serveware, and our beverage cups and cans are all recyclable. When at our events, look for these bins around the festival to dispose of your items — our Green Team will be on-site for any questions: 

GREEN = Compost your food scraps, compostable plates, forks, and other serveware.
BLUE = Recycle your cans and cups. Only plastics #1 & #2 and aluminum cans are used at our events. 
BLACK = Landfill items are non-compostable and non-recyclable waste.

Pro Tip: Ride your bike, take public transit or carpool. Eco-friendly travel makes a difference!

WHY IT MATTERS

Marine debris is a serious problem in Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico, threatening wildlife, critical habitats, and local communities. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association reports that roughly 80% of marine debris originates on land via litter and improperly managed landfill waste, which is carried by wind and water runoff into our rivers and coastal waters. Programs like Geauxing Green play a crucial role in preventing debris from ever reaching the Gulf, protecting ecosystems, and inspiring responsible behavior that extends well beyond the festival footprint.

Renewable Energy Initiatives

French Quarter Festival is stepping up its renewable energy game!

• Solar-powered stage: The Omni Royal Orleans stage (500 Royal Street, Sat/Sun).
• Electric golf carts: Many are now in use.
• Battery Generators: Battery generators (non-diesel) were used in 2025 for the first time! 

 The Greener Grounds Guide

French Quarter Festivals, Inc. and Keep Louisiana Beautiful (KLB) present the Greener Grounds Guidebook and Workbook, the go-to resource for sustainable event planning in Louisiana. These free guides offer practical tips for reducing waste, increasing recycling, and preventing litter at outdoor events.

Thank you to our sponsors and partners

Thank you to our sponsors and partners for helping us achieve these results that will benefit live events for generations to come.