NEW ORLEANS (press release) — Keep Louisiana Beautiful (KLB) has awarded French Quarter Festivals, Inc. (FQFI) with a $10,000 Greener Grounds Grant to support French Quarter Festival’s waste management practices.
Keep Louisiana Beautiful is a state program that works with local non-profits and governments to support local communities through programs and resources for litter prevention, education, removal, enforcement, recycling, waste reduction and sustainability initiatives. FQFI announced that KLB awarded the $10,000 grant to help elevate the French Quarter Festival’s current waste reduction plan.
FQFI announced that KLB awarded the $10,000 grant to help elevate the French Quarter Festival’s current waste reduction plan. As part of this effort, KLB and FQFI collaborated to create the Greener Grounds Guidebook and Workbook, which outline practical strategies for event organizers to reduce waste, increase recycling and prevent litter. The grant supports the implementation of these best practices at French Quarter Festival.
“This grant award represents an active partnership with KLB that will help our event organizers uphold their responsibility to do the right thing for the environment while we give our attendees all the fun and festivities French Quarter Fest offers,” said Emily Madero, President and CEO of French Quarter Festivals, Inc. “French Quarter Fest will use our grant to directly support our sustainability initiative, Geauxing Green, at next year’s French Quarter Festival on April 16-19, 2026.”
Litter Prevention at Louisiana Festivals
“Louisiana is home to more than 400 festivals and events annually attended by locals and tourists who come together to celebrate the state’s vibrant offerings of food, music, history, and culture. With these events often comes a completely avoidable and solvable issue: litter. While we all love to laissez les bons temps rouler, we must ensure the waste inevitably created by outdoor events does not threaten our environment,” said KLB Executive Director, Susan Russell. “Keeping event sites clean not only enhances the attendees’ experience, but also helps stop the detrimental cycle of mismanaged waste becoming litter that will clog storm drains or enter waterways – an issue that harms the state’s coastline, wildlife and water quality.”
Sixteen Greener Grounds Grants Awarded
Russell said that Greener Grounds is more than just a cleanup supplies grant—it is designed to improve litter prevention and waste management practices at large, including outdoor Louisiana events such as fairs, festivals, parades and concerts.
Made possible with funding from the State of Louisiana and the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, sixteen Greener Grounds Grants totaling more than $105,300 were awarded to eligible organizations, including Louisiana non-profits, municipalities and parishes that organize events of at least 1,000 attendees per day.
Geauxing Green at French Quarter Fest
“Geauxing Green focuses on sustainable planning and waste management processes to reduce litter, divert waste away from landfills, and educate and engage the public to drive lasting changes. This grant is critical to continuing and growing the program, which includes over 200 multi-stream waste stations throughout the event footprint, spanning New Orleans’ French Quarter and downtown Riverfront areas,” said Madero.
About French Quarter Festivals, Inc.
French Quarter Festival presented by Chevron is produced by French Quarter Festivals, Inc. (FQFI), the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which also produces Satchmo SummerFest presented by New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Fund in August and Holidays New Orleans Style Concert Series in December.
FQFI’s mission is to promote the Vieux Carré and the City of New Orleans through high-quality special events and activities that showcase the culture and heritage of this unique city, contribute to the economic well-being of the community, and instill increased pride in the people of New Orleans. For more information about French Quarter Festivals, Inc. or any of these events, visit www.fqfi.org.
About Keep Louisiana Beautiful
Keep Louisiana Beautiful (KLB), is a state program under the Office of the Lieutenant Governor and the Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism that promotes a personal, corporate, and community responsibility for a clean and beautiful Louisiana.
KLB supports local communities through programs and resources for litter education, prevention, removal, enforcement, beautification, recycling, waste reduction, and sustainability initiatives. KLB is affiliated with the national organization, Keep America Beautiful, and is supported by a robust statewide network of Community Affiliates and University Affiliates. Learn more at KeepLouisianaBeautiful.org.
