Our story begins with a shared belief: collaboration over competition, a principle we hold dear among event producers and small business owners in New Orleans. For four years, our team diligently planned what was set to be a transformative event—Barrels on the Bayou. With enthusiasm and determination, we were ready to provide a unique cultural experience to New Orleans’ residents and visitors.

However, just two weeks prior to the festival's grand opening, we received unexpected news. The French Quarter Fest had dictated the vetoing of our event under the ‘Clean Zone’ ordinance. This legislation, crafted and enforced by the City of New Orleans, was unbeknownst to us. No city official had informed us of the constraints imposed by this ordinance, one that had the power to alter the destiny of our festival so close to its inauguration.

The ‘Clean Zone’ ordinance is ostensibly designed to maintain order during large-scale events, but its actual impact reverberates with grave consequences for local festivals and businesses. It stifles, rather than supports, the mosaic of smaller events that fuel New Orleans' vibrant cultural tapestry. This ordinance does not only threaten our festival, but it sets a precedent that imperils countless other community and cultural events.

Statistics show that festivals contribute significantly to New Orleans' economy, supporting jobs and small businesses and uplifting the entire community spirit. In fact, according to the New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation, the city's festivals and events attract millions of visitors every year, generating over $7 billion in economic impact.

Repealing the ‘Clean Zone’ ordinance would mean advocating for New Orleans events' diversity and vibrancy and supporting local entrepreneurship and heritage, all while preserving harmony and unity among our festival community.

We implore the New Orleans City Council to reconsider the implications of the ‘Clean Zone’ ordinance and recall it to protect the beauty and creativity that define New Orleans. Our call is for change, not just for us, but for every event producer, attendee, and small business in our cherished city.

Let us stand together against policies that hinder our potential. We urge you to sign this petition to repeal the ‘Clean Zone’ ordinance and safeguard New Orleans’ unique cultural landscape for generations to come. Your signature is more than just a mark; it's a message to the authorities to support diversity over adversity.

Message from Day Bracey (owner/proprietor of Barrels on the Bayou):

"We want to be clear: we believe in collaboration, not competition, especially among event producers and small business owners.
 

With two weeks to go before our festival Barrels on the Bayou, we received word that the French Quarter Fest vetoed our festival based on Festival Clean Zone restrictions set by the City of New Orleans. In four years of planning, we were never made aware by city officials that such an ordinance existed and could be used so close in date to our festival’s start. 

Barrels on the Bayou is a colorful celebration and collaboration of Black artists, musicians, and small business owners featuring live art, music, and food and artisan vendors alongside one of a kind brews made exclusively for the festival by breweries near & far. 

Being blocked by the French Quarter Fest from operating in a nearby space not only impacts our team & the hundreds of thousands of dollars already poured into this event by our international community, but it impacts the livelihoods of the majority Black and New Orleans based artists, vendors, and small businesses we’re here to support and promote. These restrictions hit the Black-owned businesses and artists disproportionately —limiting opportunity, potential revenue, and spreading disappointment and mistrust.

What we propose is a collaborative approach which would allow all of us to succeed while honoring art, business, and culture in a more equitable and uplifting way. We are asking the team at French Quarter Fest and city officials to reconsider and reevaluate these practices that harm growth and community building.

Please stand with us and sign this petition in support of opportunity for all to thrive and create."

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