Iconic musical entertainment announced for 2024 Beignet Fest

Written By Alicia Vial

VIP tickets on sale for Nov. 16 festival

NEW ORLEANS - Beignet Fest organizers announce iconic musical acts including Jon Cleary, Big Sam and Amanda Shaw will headline the 2024 Beignet Fest Saturday, Nov. 16 at New Orleans City Park’s Festival Grounds. In keeping with the Beignet Fest Foundation’s charitable mission, the festival will kick off with a performance by the Prism Project, an inclusive performing arts program for youth ages 6 – 22.

“This year’s musical lineup is quite special because we’re featuring long-standing NOLA favorites, emerging local talent and a mission-driven performance with a nonprofit partner who serves children on the autism spectrum,” said Sherwood Collins, executive director of the Beignet Fest Foundation.

The full slate of entertainment presented by the New Orleans Tourism and Culture Fund includes the Prism Project, Imagination Movers, Sierra Green and the Giants, Amanda Shaw and the Cute Guys, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, and Jon Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen.

Organizers also launched ticket sales for the VIP Experience presented by Ruby Slipper. Available at beignetfest.com/tickets, the VIP Experience is $50 for Adults 21+ and $30 for Youth under 21. All Youth VIP tickets must be purchased in connection with a VIP Adult ticket purchase. Children 0-3 are free with a paid adult. The VIP Experience includes admission to Beignet Fest, access to a private tented area with dedicated bathrooms, reserved green space near the stage, three taste tickets for a selection of signature Ruby Slipper cocktails and complimentary water. General admission tickets for Beignet Fest will go on sale at a later date.

Beignet Fest is presented by Children’s Hospital New Orleans and supported by leading sponsors including New Orleans Tourism and Culture Fund, PJ’s Coffee, Abita Beer, The Times-Picayune/NOLA.com, Gambel Communications, Firefly Marketing and other local businesses.

To view the full entertainment schedule and purchase VIP tickets, visit beignetfest.com.

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About Beignet Fest & Beignet Fest Foundation:
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 from the event 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.

Recent Beignet Fest recognition includes:
New Orleans Magazine Tops of the Town Honoree 2023
Southern Living Best Food Festivals in the South 2023
Garden & Gun Top Southern Fall Food Festival List 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.

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