In cars, on bikes and on streetcars, natives and newbies alike converged from all parts of New Orleans and South Eastern Louisiana to Oak Street for the Second Annual New Orleans Po Boy Festival. They were treated to some of the best of our local musicians, like Andy J. Forest. But that\'s not why they came, they came for the food. \r\n\r\nThe po boy is more than a sandwich, it is a long held New Orleans tradition and the fried oyster po boy is often considered to be the quintessential po boy. But there is no shortage of variations and the competition is fierce among local restaurants to be considered the best place for po boys. A fair number of the more than 30 restaurants participating in this year are, by all accounts, among the highest echelons of po boy worship.\r\n\r\nBy some estimates as many as 20,000 people converged along Oak Street. Sometimes waiting more than a half an hour to satisfy both their cravings and curiosity.\r\n\r\nNew Orleans continues to be an ever-changing amalgam of cultures and ethnicities. The Italian version of the po boy is the muffelleta, served up by Serio\'s PoBoys and Deli. The newest entry in the Po Boy Hall of Fame is the Vietnamese Po Boy. Shredded carrots, cucumbers, cilantro and spicy meatballs. What\'s not to like about spicy meatballs on crispy french bread?\r\n\r\nIn between rounds of po boys, you could shop for art... art featuring po boys. And of course, there was music by New Orleans answer to Hannah Montana, Amanda Shaw.\r\n\r\nThe second annual New Orleans Po Boy Festival was a great reason to come around the neighborhood. And what a party it was. \r\n\r\nLinks included in this Article:\r\n