NEW ORLEANS — As Carnival season intensifies competition among New Orleans bakeries, King Cake Fe(a)st has carved out a distinct niche by offering a weekly, sold-by-the-slice pop-up that lowers barriers for small and emerging bakers while giving consumers access to a wide range of nontraditional king cake offerings.
Held Thursday evenings through Feb. 5 at Port Orleans Brewing Co., the free, family-friendly event brings together more than 25 local bakers and makers each week. Unlike traditional preorder-driven king cake sales, the Fe(a)st model allows bakers to test products, manage production risk and build consistent demand without the overhead of a storefront or the pressure of high-volume fulfillment.
At the center of the event is Ilyssa Archuleta, baker at Violet Sprinkles and owner of King Cake Fe(a)st, whose own path into the king cake market reflects many of the same challenges faced by small food entrepreneurs.
Product Innovation in a Crowded Market
Archuleta began Violet Sprinkles after moving to New Orleans in 2016, initially focusing on custom macarons. While the business gained traction, King Cake season proved difficult to crack.
“I tried and tried to break into the King Cake market with my macarons,” Archuleta said. “I made little individual king cakes and they were so cute. However, they didn’t have the true essence of a King Cake. King Cake is something you slice and you share with friends and family.”
That realization led to a breakthrough: a large, ring-shaped macaron designed to mimic the form and shareability of a traditional king cake.
“I baked a giant macaron that had a hole in the middle mimicking a true king cake for a get-together with friends,” she said. “Everyone at the party raved about the King Cake-a-ron. It was demolished and the last slices were fought over.”
She shared photos of the innovative creation to her Facebook page, thinking she might get a couple of orders. “I posted it at 10:30 at night and went to bed. I woke up to over 40 orders, more than I had ever received for Mardi Gras,” she said.
Demand quickly followed, and the product became a seasonal cornerstone of her business. Because macarons are naturally gluten-free, the King Cake-a-ron also opened doors to customers with dietary restrictions, helping Archuleta reach new markets and wholesale opportunities.
From Vendor to Owner
Archuleta first participated in King Cake Fe(a)st as a vendor, finding it aligned with her approach to seasonal baking and community-based selling. When the original owners decided to sell the brand, she moved quickly.
“They had known me since the first year of the event, and she loved the idea that it was going to someone potentially who had been part of the market and just enjoyed it for what it was,” Archuleta said.
She finalized the purchase two weeks later, keeping the event under the stewardship of a working baker and former vendor.
“King Cake Fe(a)st is still rocking and rolling and one of the most delicious Fe(a)stivals in Carnival,” she said. “Though admittedly, I am a little biased.”
Balancing Full-Time Careers and Seasonal Demand
For many participants, King Cake Fe(a)st provides a way to scale a seasonal business alongside a primary profession.
Nancy Pesses, owner of Challah Creations by Nancy, bakes part-time while working full-time as a small animal veterinarian. She launched her business in 2020 and quickly found demand for challah-based king cakes during Carnival season. Another local baker saw her posts on Instagram and reached out about a new market she was creating, which led to Pesses becoming one of the founding participants in King Cake Fe(a)st.
“From then on during each Carnival season, I always get messages via Instagram about flavors, cost and where and how customers can get them,” Pesses said. “My production has steadily increased every year, as local, artisan and home baked king cakes and their makers are becoming much more popular.”
Pesses said the Fe(a)st model allows bakers like her to participate in Carnival without committing to large preorder volumes.
“I primarily network and gain customers through Instagram, word of mouth and local king cake themed maker and baker events, like King Cake Fe(a)st,” she said. “It’s a sold-by-the-slice small baker and maker weekly pop-up during Mardi Gras season.”
Baking as a Second Career Path
Tasjanique Moore, owner of Seaux Much Fun Pastries and Cakes, represents another segment of the Fe(a)st ecosystem: bakers who shifted careers following the pandemic.
After working as a social worker throughout the pandemic, Moore enrolled at the New Orleans Culinary and Hospitality Institute, graduating in March 2023 as valedictorian. She launched her business shortly thereafter.
“I began baking as a child to celebrate others for their birthday and because I loved chocolate cake,” Moore said. “After becoming a social worker and working the entire pandemic, I decided to return to baking seriously.”
During Carnival season, Moore offers cinnamon rolls and mini and full-size king cakes, then pivots to macarons, confections and catering after Mardi Gras.
The Fe(a)st format, she said, helps newer businesses gain visibility while refining operations.
A Shared Infrastructure for Small Producers
Across participants, King Cake Fe(a)st functions less as a single event and more as shared seasonal infrastructure—providing predictable foot traffic, a recurring schedule and a collaborative environment for bakers operating at different stages of growth.
Pesses said her background in science has shaped her baking approach and her business development. “As I got further into baking, I realized that I enjoy baking because I love science,” she said. “There is a little bit of chemistry as well as a lot of creativity to what I end up baking.”
She has since expanded into custom orders, community workshops and event catering, viewing each Carnival season as both a revenue driver and a testing ground.
“I find that my favorite type of project is when someone wants to work with me to develop something special,” Pesses said. “If I haven’t made something a customer asks, I find myself responding… ‘I haven’t yet but I can try!’”
A Seasonal Business Model with Staying Power
By emphasizing sold-by-the-slice sales, recurring weekly dates and a diverse vendor mix, King Cake Fe(a)st has created a scalable model that supports small producers without requiring them to compete head-to-head with large commercial bakeries.
For Archuleta, the event reflects the same adaptability that shaped her own business.
“I started Violet Sprinkles after seeing a bakery online,” she said. “I found King Cake Fe(a)st while scrolling one day. Where I met some of my dearest friends and it led me to taking over King Cake Fe(a)st.”
Two years later under her ownership, the event continues to draw crowds each week of Carnival, offering both bakers and consumers an alternative way to participate in one of New Orleans’ most competitive seasonal markets.
