Thousands of people filled the French Quarter at a festival that continues to celebrate New Orleans' rich history and culture. "This was once a vision and a dream, and look how far it has come,” said Alana Harris,

From large crowds to beautiful weather to heaven in a tray of bread pudding, here's how my first trip to French Quarter Fest went.

French Quarter Festival is back this weekend, April 10-13, taking over the heart of downtown New Orleans with about 300 acts spread across nearly two dozen stages. Why it matters: The fest is the city's largest free festival.