10th Taste of the Deep South Festival

Sat. & Sun. Sept 19-20, 2026; Noon–8:00PM each day

The grounds of the East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, 7711 Goodwood Boulevard, Baton Rouge, LA 70806

Baton Rouge, LA… The family-friendly and FREE-to-the-public 10th Annual A Taste of the Deep South Festival is pleased to announce the new dates for the 2-day festival. The Festival will be held on Sat. & Sun. Sept 19-20, 2026 on the grounds of the East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, 7711 Goodwood Boulevard, Baton Rouge, LA 70806.

The Festival opens with a Pre-Party at Henry Turner Jr.’s Listening Room on Thurs., Sept. 17, 2026. Performers include Henry Turner Jr. & Flavor, the Listening Room All-Stars and special guest artists from around the country who will perform at the festival. The event is scheduled from 7:00 pm to midnight. The pre-party venue is located at 2733 North St., Baton Rouge, LA 70802. Admission is $25 in advance and $30 at the door, and includes a down-home-style Southern buffet and a no-host bar.

The 10th Taste of the Deep South Festival takes place on the grounds of the East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library on Sat. & Sun., Sept. 19-20, 2026, from Noon – 8:00 PM each day. The event features a diverse range of music genres. The Galvez Plaza stage has an emphasis on world music, blues, soul, rock, and R&B. We will have a Henry Turner Jr. Look-A-Like Contest, Hot Dog Eating Contest, and a Dance Contest. Music is all genres. The festival also has a Vendor Village with arts and crafts, clothing, and jewelry and a food court with dishes the South made famous.

The Pre-Party is family-friendly and free to the public. Special VIP tickets are available on the website. VIP Experience cost is $25 and includes two meal and two soft drink tickets. 4 Turner VIP tickets are $100 for two people with two T-shirts, meal and drink tickets, covered seating in the VIP access tent and a “Now” CD by Henry Turner Jr. Flavor, and food from the festival Taste of the Deep South kitchen.

Other Louisiana festivals by this team

• 10th A Taste of the Deep South – Baton Rouge, LA – Sat.-Sun., Sept. 19-20, 2026
• 5th Listening Room Film Festival, Baton Rouge, Dec. 4, 5, 6 & 11, 12, 13, 2026
• 14th Baton Rouge Mardi Gras Festival – Baton Rouge, LA – Sat., Feb. 13, 2027
• 10th Baton Rouge Soul Food Festival – Baton Rouge, LA, Sat. & Sun, May TBA, 2027
• 4th Baton Rouge Neighborhood Fest – Baton Rouge, Sat. July TBA, 2027

Vendor Information

Please complete the online application below or print the application and return it.

If you are filling out the application online you MUST read the vendor rules and agree to the guidelines. Load in information will be posted on this page as well.

Print Application

Vendor Guidelines

1. Confirmation and booth assignment. Booth space is limited and assigned first-come, first-served, based on the date the application and full payment are postmarked or received. A payment receipt is sent immediately, and a load-in information packet is emailed the Thursday morning before the Festival.
2. Booth space. Spaces are 10’x10′ or 10’x20′ (larger sizes available — see #20). For an additional fee, you can rent 5 feet of external space to sell from two sides of your booth (see the 10’x15′ column on the fee chart).
3. Sales / subleasing. Sales must take place within your booth space. Subleasing is not allowed. The Festival provides only the space — vendors must supply their own tents, tables, chairs, etc.
4. Equipment rental. The Festival does not rent equipment. Contact us for suggestions.
5. Exclusivity. Merchandise types must be listed on your application and approved by the Festival. For product exclusivity, call 832-413-2217 or email don@ewmediagroup.com.
6. Late fees. Applications paid after 9/1/26 incur a $25 late fee.
7. Food vendors. You may sell up to 3 pre-approved entrées, plus one bonus entrée from the Festival’s Southern Food List. Beverage sales require a $45 fee. Contact us for the Temporary Health Permit form. You must have a fire extinguisher (rated 2-A, 10-B:C or better, or rated K if cooking in oil) with a current inspection sticker, and appropriate floor protection (requirements will be sent to you).
8. Required food vendor insurance. Food vendors must carry a minimum $1 million per-occurrence / $2 million general aggregate liability policy, naming as Additional Insured: the 8th Taste of the Deep South Festival, Henry Turner, Jr., Main Library/Parish of East Baton Rouge, and EWMedia. Call us if you need help securing coverage — you may be eligible for inclusion in the Festival’s policy. If a correct Certificate of Insurance isn’t received by Sept. 1, 2026, you’ll be removed from the Festival and refunded minus fees.
9. Site protection. Food booths must meet City of Baton Rouge flooring requirements (sent after you apply). It’s the vendor’s responsibility to keep grease and waste off the concrete and grass — steam-cleaning charges apply if there’s a problem.
10. Waste disposal. Vendors are responsible for keeping their booth and surrounding area clean, and must supply their own garbage receptacles and bags (double-bag food waste). Dispose of trash in the Festival’s waste trailer only — not in Festival trash cans.
11. Event day setup. Location: 7711 Goodwood Blvd., Baton Rouge, 70806. Vendor check-in begins early both days; you’ll be assigned one of 3 load-in times, detailed in the Day-Of Information Packet sent the Thursday before. Vehicles are not allowed on festival grounds — bring a dolly, and bring your payment receipt for access to the unloading area. Vendors who haven’t applied and paid are not guaranteed space. Vendors must be ready for business by 11:00 AM both days; tear-down is not permitted before 8 PM.
12. Prohibited items. No alcohol, drug paraphernalia, guns, fireworks, weapons, or apparel with profanity or sexually explicit content.
13. Sales tax. Vendors are responsible for complying with city and state sales tax requirements.
14. Approved items only. Only items listed on your application and approved by the Festival may be sold.
15. Security. The Festival provides security, including overnight security Saturday night, but vendors are solely responsible for the security of their own cash, goods, equipment, and property. We recommend removing valuables Saturday night; tents, tables, and chairs may be left.
16. Guideline enforcement. Violations receive two warnings; further violations result in removal from the Festival by police, without refund.
17. Sound levels. Vendors may not play their own music at the event.
18. Acts of God. Festival producers, promoters, sponsors, staff, and volunteers are not responsible or liable for personal adversity or acts of God.
19. Rain-out policy. If the Festival is cancelled for a day due to rain or another act of God, and a rain date is scheduled, vendors may set up with the basic booth fee waived — other fees still apply.
20. Oversize commercial booths. Booths larger than 10’x20′ require 5 feet of external space on the two sides adjacent to the booth front (tent not provided; pricing available). Tents over 1,200 sq. ft. require a Fire Marshal present, plus fire extinguishers and signage. Contact don@ewmediagroup.com for pricing and sourcing.
21. Lodging. Discounted hotel/motel rates for vendors, employees, contractors, and attendees are available through Dee at Deech Global Travel, 225-747-0057, deechgtt@gmail.com. Discounts require booking through the agency — not available by contacting the hotel directly.
22. Electricity (nonfood vendors only). One electrical connection is available for $50 per event. Vendors must supply their own lighting fixtures and grounded heavy-duty outdoor cable (no light-duty cords). 30 or 50 amp circuits are not available.
23. Generators. Traditional generators are currently allowed. Inverter/silent generators (e.g., Honda Silent Generator) are preferred but not required and can be rented from tool rental companies; battery sound boxes are preferred. Contact 832-413-2217 for approval.
24. Electrical needs application. Nonfood vendors must submit their electrical equipment info by Aug. 25, 2026. Without this, electricity cannot be included in the booth’s electrical plan.
25. Electrical equipment worksheet. Nonfood vendors renting electricity must list each piece of equipment with its amps, watts, volts, and phase (found on the equipment’s nameplate); each major appliance needs its own circuit.