The annual Bywater party began in 1989, organized by neighborhood boosters who thought their section of town needed its own event. Longtime Bywater resident Mary Cooper was among the founders and recalled that the first fest began "as kind of a joke." According to Mary, the thinking was, "They have festivals in Louisiana for everything else, why not mirlitons?"

For several years the fest was produced in tandem with the Bywater Home Tour. In 1991 the festival even held a parade from Press Street down Rampart Street to the Stallings Center with the F.T. Nicholls High School (now Fredrick Douglas) marching band. Over the fest's 19 year history, one thing has remained the same: the Mirliton Festival has great food and superlative music. excerpt for Mirliton Festival Program

Music-Food-Arts & Crafts-T-Shirts

The Bywater Neighborhood Association presents The 2009 Mirliton Festival.

Saturday November 5, 2011
11:00a.m.-7:00p.m.
Admission $5.00 - BNA Members $3.00 - Children Under 12 Free
at Markey Park on the corner of Piety and Royal Streets in Bywater.

2011 Musical Guests include
The Tumbleweeds - 11 a.m.
Tuba Skinny - noon
Hurray for the Riff Raff -1 p.m.
King James and the Special Men - 2 p.m.
Happy Talk - 3 p.m.
Little Freddie King and Guitar Lightning Lee - 4:30 p.m.
Kermit Ruffins - 6 p.m.

Great Food from some of the
Neighborhood's Best Eateries
Frady's
The Joint
Jack Dempsey's
Cafe Roux
Sally's Country Gourmet Foods
Sugar Park
Maurepas Foods
Satsuma
Meltdown
Bacchanal (wine only)
Try Me Coffee will be at our Mirliton Bread Booth.

ART MARKET
Artists: Robin Daning, Linda Behrman of Drunk Monkey, LeJardin, Shaun Aleman of Aleman Art and Designs, Barbara Broberds, Greg Geigucz, Tracy Thompson of Kabuki Hats, David Bereran of Bereron Woodworks, Jerry Moran the Native Orleanian, Studio Inferno, Christopher Kirsch of New Orleans Folks Art, Designs by Georgette, Michael Schiavone, Charlie the Hat Man, Ann and Laura Guccione of New Orleans Masks, Brian Bush of Carnival Sculpture, Darrin Butler

BYWATER MERCHANDISE
CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES & MORE