Beignet Fest debuts new culinary storytelling experience, ‘The Porch’

Written By Alicia Vial

The Porch, presented by Blue Runner, brings local chefs together for conversations about stories and traditions behind Louisiana's celebrated culinary culture

NEW ORLEANS — Beignet Fest returns Saturday, Nov. 7 and will debut a new signature experience for festgoers called The Porch. Presented by Blue Runner, The Porch will serve as a gathering place where local chefs and food personalities will share the stories, traditions and people behind Louisiana’s celebrated culinary culture – all set against the backdrop of a welcoming front porch motif.

Celebrity chef, Kevin Belton, will host intimate, guided conversations on The Porch. Confirmed guests include Chef Nick Cook of Brigtsen’s Restaurant and Robbie Harrison of Loretta’s Authentic Pralines. Additional guests will be announced as the lineup comes together.

“We created Beignet Fest to celebrate the legacy of the iconic beignet from its roots as an 18th-century sweet treat brought to New Orleans by the French to the creative dishes and new interpretations we see today.” said Sherwood Collins, co-founder and executive director Beignet Fest. “It felt natural to create an experience that allows us to share stories like this about other traditions in our community.”

For presenting sponsor Blue Runner, the experience is a natural extension of a brand with deep roots in Louisiana food culture.

“Food has a way of bringing people together, and so do great stories,” said Katie Bautsch, president of Blue Runner Foods. “Blue Runner has been part of Louisiana kitchens and traditions for generations, and we’re proud to help create a place where people can gather, connect and celebrate the food culture we all share.”

Beignet Fest is Saturday, Nov. 7 at New Orleans City Park’s Festival Grounds. It’s the ninth annual celebration of beignets, food, music and community. The Porch is part of Beignet Fest’s continued evolution as a signature New Orleans festival while supporting the mission of the Beignet Fest Foundation.

Founded in 2016, the Beignet Fest Foundation was created to increase awareness and support for children on the autism spectrum. To date, Beignet Fest has raised more than $3 million to support education and enrichment programs serving children with autism and their families.

For more information about The Porch and to purchase discounted early bird tickets through Oct. 3, visit beignetfest.com. The 2026 Beignet Fest menu will be announced Oct. 5.

###

About Beignet Fest:

Named one of the Top 10 Specialty Food Festivals in the nation in 2026 by USA TODAY’s Readers Poll, Beignet Fest is a premier food festival in Louisiana that celebrates one of New Orleans’s most iconic dishes all in one place on one day. Proceeds benefit the Beignet Fest Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization established to raise awareness and support for programs in Greater New Orleans that serve autistic youth and their families.

Other honors for the Beignet Fest include:

Garden & Gun - Top Southern Fall Food Festival List 2024 and 2023

New Orleans Magazine - Tops of the Town Voter Poll Honoree 2023

Southern Living - Best Food Festivals in the South 2023

Tasting Table - 21 Bucket List Food Festivals 2023

Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

Next

U.S. News & World Report names Manning Family Children’s #1 in Louisiana