October 4-6: Gretna Heritage Festival
The Gretna Heritage Festival encompasses 25 city blocks and features seven stages with performances by entertainers like Earth, Wind & Fire, The Molly Ringwalds, the New Birth Brass Band, Chicago, ZZ Top and many, many more! 
Enjoy a wide array of cuisine from the Giant Food Tent with vendors like Prejean’s, Mona’s Cafe, La Maison Creole, Thanh Thanh and Vincent’s Italian Cuisine, just to name a few. A large selection of arts and crafts will be available, along with rides and entertainment for the kids. GretnaFest.com
October 5: Art for Art’s Sake
Celebrate New Orleans’ arts and artists during Art for Art’s Sake, an annual, citywide tradition that will open the 2013 art season. In recent years, more than 30,000 people have come out for this event, with hundreds of galleries and shops open on Julia Street and along a six-mile stretch of Magazine Street. Galleries open their doors for the event at 6:00 pm and remain open until 9:00 pm or later. CACNO.org
October 11-13: Louisiana Seafood Festival
Celebrate the Gulf’s richest resource at New Orleans City Park’s Festival Grounds. Enjoy food from vendors like Antoine’s, Acme Oyster House, Katie’s Mid-City and Jack Dempsey’s, and music by John Gros, Johnny Sketch & the Dirty Notes, Wild Magnolias, Better Than Ezra and many more. And don’t miss cooking demonstrations from great chefs based all over Louisiana. LouisianaSeafoodFestival.com
October 19-20: Secret Gardens of the Vieux Carré
Who hasn’t strolled the French Quarter, admiring the unique architecture, gorgeous wrought-iron balconies and street names tiled into the banquettes? But few have gotten a glimpse of the Quarter’s many interior courtyards. Thanks to Patio Planters of the Vieux Carré, who have been making donations to help keep the city’s elegance intact since 1946, you’ll finally get a sneak peek! Come see what’s behind the gates as French Quarter courtyards otherwise closed to the public are opened for a special weekend tour. patioplanters.org
October 18-26: Boo at the Zoo
Bring your little ghosts and goblins to this annual Audubon Zoo extravaganza for a safe, fun-filled Halloween event for children up to age 12. The thrills include trick-or-treat houses with candy, a ghost train, a haunted house (scary and not-so-scary), games with prizes, entertainment and more. Excluding concessions, all games and treats are free with admission. AudubonInstitute.org
October 18-20: Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival
Presented by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, the Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival celebrates Southern soul with the best in local and international blues and R&B talent, plus the greatest assemblage of home-style barbecue to be found in New Orleans. Hear music from performers like Sonny Landreth, James Cotton and Shemekia Copeland while eating delicious BBQ from some of the city’s finest purveyors of the craft. It all takes place at New Orleans’ Lafayette Square Park, and admission is free! jazzandheritage.org/blues-fest