White linen is set to flood Julia Street once more as Arts District New Orleans brings back the 32nd annual Fidelity Bank White Linen Night on Saturday, August 1, 2026, from 5 to 10 p.m. The event will turn Julia Street and the surrounding Warehouse Arts District into a summer evening of gallery openings, outdoor art activations, food and live music, with guests encouraged to show up in their best white linen. Organizers say proceeds from the night support Arts District New Orleans’ year-round programs for galleries, museums and creative businesses.
Event details, sponsors and fundraising
According to Arts District New Orleans, the free public event runs 5 to 10 p.m. and coincides with the district’s First Saturday gallery openings. Title sponsor Fidelity Bank returns, joined by partners including Sazerac, the Goldring Family Foundation, The Helis Foundation, New Orleans & Company, Arts New Orleans and the Downtown Development District. ADNO says the night will feature dozens of member gallery and museum openings, street activations and ADNO fundraising bars that help support the organization.
Music and street programming
Live music will be spread across the district. As reported by WGNO, performances are expected from Primus Roman, Robin Barnes & the Fiya Birds, Irvin Mayfield and students and alumni of the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. Organizers say the program will feature multiple stages and outdoor art activations so visitors can wander between gallery openings, music and food vendors throughout the evening.
Cool down lounge, afterparty and tickets
While the gallery stroll itself is free, ADNO notes there will be limited-ticket options for those who want extras. An official Cool Down Lounge is planned at 420 Julia Street, formerly Common House, along with an official afterparty hosted at the Contemporary Arts Center. Ticket links and discounted early bird pricing for lounge access are being shared through the event page and organizers’ ticket partners, with full details listed by ADNO.
Museums and exhibitions opening that night
The Ogden Museum of Southern Art will take part in White Linen Night with free admission and a DJ from 5 to 10 p.m., and the museum is opening its Louisiana Contemporary group show the same evening, according to the Ogden Museum. Organizers say the combination of museum openings and the wider gallery program has helped the event grow into one of the city’s biggest summer art nights, drawing large crowds in recent years.
History and what it means for the Arts District
What started as a gallery stroll in 1994 has grown into a block-wide celebration that organizers say now brings tens of thousands of visitors to the Warehouse Arts District and gives a boost to neighborhood businesses during the slow summer season, per local coverage and ADNO’s announcements. For those planning to attend, organizers recommend comfortable shoes, a weather plan and checking the ADNO event page or media outlets for lineup and ticket updates as August 1 approaches.
