New Orleans International Vodou Day
May 23–24, 2026

Theme: Diaspora and Memory – New Orleans International Vodou Day

We gather in remembrance, in learning, and in connection. Each offering across these two days is open to the community and designed to honor the past while engaging the present through education, culture, and sacred practice.

​

SATURDAY, MAY 23, 2026

Xavier University of Louisiana

10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Symposium: Diaspora and Memory
A full day of speakers, teachings, and discussions exploring Vodou across the diaspora—its memory, transmission, and living practice.

Individual speaker times are listed on each presenter’s page.

​

10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Youth Program: Make Your Own Magic!
A guided, hands-on experience for youth ages 3–15 featuring creative activities, storytelling, and connection to nature and intention through accessible practices.

Parents and guardians are asked to remain on site.

​

10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Afro-Ecology Exhibit
A walk-through experience highlighting the plants, botanicals, and natural elements that have supported spiritual and cultural practices in New Orleans and across the diaspora.

​

10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Art Exhibit
A curated collection of visual works reflecting Vodou culture, ancestry, and spiritual expression through contemporary and traditional artistic voices.

​

SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2026
10:00 AM

Sacred Processional
Meet at the Riverwalk (Moonwalk)

We begin with a ceremonial procession to nine culturally and historically significant sites throughout the city—locations tied to the arrival, experience, and resilience of enslaved Africans and their descendants.

At each stop, we pause for acknowledgment, reflection, and offering.

Please be prepared to walk through the city.

(See Route HERE)

​

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Midday Pause
A break between the processional and ceremony. Participants are invited to rest, hydrate, and gather before the closing ceremony.

​

1:00 PM

Traditional Vodou Ceremony
Congo Square

We close in sacred gathering with ceremony, prayer, music, and ancestral reverence in Congo Square—recognized as a historical center of African spiritual continuity in New Orleans.

​

CULTURE BEARERS & CEREMONIAL PARTICIPANTS

Throughout the weekend, culture bearers and spiritual leaders will guide moments of libation, prayer, and presence, holding space for remembrance and connection.

​

NOTES FOR ATTENDEES
All events are open to the public
Saturday events take place at Xavier University of Louisiana
Sunday begins at the Riverwalk and concludes in Congo Square
Wear comfortable clothing and shoes for walking on Sunday
Come prepared to engage with both learning and sacred experience