This annual family-friendly day of celebration features live music, artist presentations by current and former residents, special guest artists, guided walks in the woods with scientists, hands-on art and science activities for the entire family, local eats available for purchase and a silent auction!

Stay tuned for details on our 15th Annual FORESTival: A Celebration of Art & Nature taking place in November 2025!

View Images from FORESTival 2024 HERE!

FORESTival 2024 featured:

• Music performances by Water Seed, Baba Luther and the Congo Square Drummers and former residents Kr3wical & More Love and Kelly Love Jones (reorder these like the postcard)
• Artistic presentations from residents and guest artists including Alina Allen, paris cyan cian, Kristal “M2daE” Jones, John Lacarbiere III, Sweetie Magee, Antoine Prince, Alex Sorapuru and Maaliyah Papillion
• Environmental Justice Hub creatively featuring frontline and fence line organizations and efforts such as Rise St. James, Inclusive Louisiana, Refined Community Development, Lincoln Beach/Healthy Gulf activists and the Water Collaborative.
• Local eats provided by Crescent City Burgers, Big O’s Pops, Eli’s Kitchen and Saved by the Juice
• Art & Science activities for kids and kids-at-heart alike including festival favorite Build a Clay Forest, woodland scavenger hunt with former resident John Lacarbiere III, meeting Weezy the mini Scottish Highlander Cow from Sugar Roots Farm and interactive science activities with STEM NOLA, Glass Half Full, RicRak, Restore the Mississippi River Delta and Pontchartrain Conservancy and more.
• Walks in the Woods with Tulane University and local scientists
• Photo booth fun and Be Loud youth interviewing.
• Silent auction of one-of-a-kind art objects and experiences

FORESTival is the only time during the year that A Studio in the Woods is open to the public at large and this signature celebration of art and nature is fun for the whole family. A Studio in the Woods is located in Lower Algiers at 13401 Patterson Rd. New Orleans LA, 70131, about a 25 minute drive from downtown New Orleans.

FORESTival 2024  was made possible by the below and the following sponsors:  89.9 WWNO, iHEART, Be Loud, STEM NOLA, The Inkwell Press, Tulane University’s ByWater Institute, Lynne Burkart, Tom & Ellen Prewitt, Power Systems Specialists, Walmart, DePaul Community Health Center, Catherine & David Edwards, Jamie Manders & James Riopelle, Regina & Luis Zervigon, Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Canizaro, Renee Peck, Libra LaGrone and Casius Pealer.

Thank you to our 2024 Planning Committee:

Jessica Dandridge, The Water Collaborative

Gigi Dupuy, Board Member

Alexandra Mora, Board Member

Natalie Nguyen, EisnerAmper

Jennifer Nugent, Gulf Coast Bank and Trust

SELECTED PRESS
Photos from FORESTival 2018 in the Advocate
Director Ama Rogan and Artist  John Kleinschmidt talk FORESTival 2018 on WWNO’s Inside the Arts with Diane Mack
FORESTival 2017 on NOLA.com
Director Ama Rogan talks FORESTival 2017 with WWL’s Eric Paulsen