Historic Snow Day in the French Quarter
French Quarter resident and artist Craig Tracy created this whimsical snowman overlooking Jackson Square. Photo by Shawn Fink
January 2025The French Quarter erupted with spontaneous joy – and of course, music – as a record-breaking ten inches of powdery snow fell on New Orleans on January 21st.
- album by Shawn Fink
~ additional photos courtesy French Quarter denizens Jeremiah Beck, Marco Rasi, Simone Biow, Emilie Rhys, Craig Tracy, Greg Lambousy and Baylee Badawy, Wendi Maloy, Elizabeth Simpson, Amzie Adams and Bethany Ewald Bultman.
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This feature is underwritten in part by the Mardi Gras Museum of Costumes and Culture
Photographs by Shawn Fink
Shawn Fink walked from his Bywater home to the French Quarter
Skiing on Royal Street
Sound on to hear the brass band!
The intersection of St. Peter and Royal streets, the most popular for busking, was in full swing.
Word got around early in the morning to meet for a sneaux ball fight at Jackson Square at 4pm
The word started going around in the morning: Sneaux ball fight on Jackson Square at 4pm!
The neighborhood’s Live Oaks were laden with more than acorns this year.
Bourbon Street, looking toward Canal.
Photographs below courtesy several French Quarter denizens
attributions in captions
Jackson Square by Marco Rasi, author of the book “Nocturnal New Orleans,” read FQJ’s review of it here! You can find more of Rasi’s images at his Instagram account.
Jackson Square by Marco Rasi, author of the book “Nocturnal New Orleans,” read FQJ’s review of it here! You can find more of Rasi’s images at his Instagram account.
Inside the fence at Jackson Square, by Marco Rasi, author of the book “Nocturnal New Orleans,” read FQJ’s review of it here! You can find more of Rasi’s images at his Instagram account.
Jackson Square, around noon, photography by Simone Biow
Pirates’ Alley and Faulkner House Books, by Jeremiah Beck
Jackson Square by French Quarter resident and writer Jeremiah Beck. See more of Beck’s photography at his Instagram account.
Side gates to the park, by French Quarter resident and writer Jeremiah Beck. See more of Beck’s photography at his Instagram account.
By Simone Biow
French Quarter resident and artist Craig Tracy creating his latest sculpture, photo courtesy Craig Tracy
Craig Tracy and family, courtesy Craig Tracy
French Quarter resident Simone Biow shot this while walking her two dogs (shown is Beaux) along the levee at noon. She reported that the snow was falling so heavily, she couldn’t see the river from the Moonwalk.
A bit later, Quarter resident Elizabeth Simpson captured this image.
For once, there was no line at Cafe du Monde. Photo by French Quarter resident and writer Jeremiah Beck. See more of Beck’s photography at his Instagram account.
The 800 block of Chartres, home to French Quarter Journal’s office, by Elizabeth Simpson
Artist and musician Amzie Adams reported that tips from busking on Frenchmen Street were few and far between. Photo by Wendi Maloy
The snow brought out many creative folks, including this plein air painter Kevin Kurz at Washington Square, who photographer Amzie Adams nicknamed Vincent Van Snow.
New Orleans Jazz Museum director Greg Lambousy shot this outside his office.
Looking down Decatur Street toward the Joan of Arc statue, by Jeremiah Beck
The first person in history to make a snow angel in the middle of Royal Street? Perhaps! Video by Jeremiah Beck
Royal Street, by Jeremiah Beck
Parking on Royal Street by Jeremiah Beck
St. Peter Street by author of the book “Nocturnal New Orleans,” read FQJ’s review of it here! You can find more of Rasi’s images at his Instagram account. Note: the office of French Quarter Journal is on the third floor of the yellow building, with the little Mardi Gras lights.
Bourbon Street by Jeremiah Beck
Bourbon Street by Jeremiah Beck
Another snowman, this one on Bourbon Street, photo by Baylee Badawy
Bourbon Street by Jeremiah Beck
The Historic BK House and Gardens with a historic blanket of snow, photo by Elizabeth Simpson
A Chartres Street balcony across from our FQJ office showcases the accumulation. Photo by Bethany Ewald Bultman
As does the inner courtyard of artist Emilie Rhys on Orleans Street
Looking up Orleans toward the back of the St. Louis Cathedral, photo by Emilie Rhys
Simone Biow’s other dog, Bella, gets her moment in the limelight at Cabrini Park in the lower Quarter as night fell, photo by Simone Biow
The view from Emilie Rhys’s Orleans Street balcony on the evening of January 21. Photo by Emilie Rhys
Chartres Street by author of the book “Nocturnal New Orleans,” read FQJ’s review of it here! You can find more of Rasi’s images at his Instagram account. Note: the office of French Quarter Journal is on the third floor of the yellow building, with the little Mardi Gras lights.
Emilie Rhys captured the new day rising on Jan. 22nd from her balcony on Orleans Street
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