WHY IT RATES: With city improvements, airport upgrades and a wide array of nonstop activities, New Orleans is getting a massive remodel and it's the perfect time to visit.-Jessica Zickefoose, TravelPulse Associate Editor
As of May 16th, the former New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau (NOCVB) has rebranded and is now officially known as New Orleans & Company-a name that better reflects the work that we do and the people we serve.
For more information on our new brand, click here.
Tricentennial
New Orleans is celebrating its 300th anniversary throughout 2018.
-As one of the world's most unique and diverse cities, New Orleans will celebrate with its citizens and open its doors to the world to share the city's rich history and culture. During the Tricentennial, New Orleans will celebrate its past accomplishments, the resilience of its people and set the course for the future.
The New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) will present The Orlans Collection-an exhibition of selections from the magnificent collection of the city's namesake, Philippe II, Duke of Orlans (1689-1723).
-On view from October 26th, 2018 through January 27th, 2019, The Orlans Collection will bring together, for the first time, a selection of masterpieces from institutions such as the National Gallery of London, the J. Paul Getty Museum, and the National Gallery of Scotland to tell the story of the collection's formation, its reputation, and its impact in early 18th century Paris.
Throughout 2018 several local businesses are offering special deals, packages, discounts and tricentennial-themed items that visitors and locals can take advantage of all year long. To learn more about the Tricentennial deals and packages click here.
For the full Tricentennial calendar, click here.
Upcoming Events
The 8th annual Restaurant Week New Orleans will offer discounted menus across the city throughout the week of September 10th-16th.
-With more than 100 restaurants across the city participating, Restaurant Week New Orleans offers lunch menus for $20 or less, as well as dinner and brunch menus for $39 or less.
The 6th annual Downriver Festival will take place at the New Orleans Jazz Museum September 8th, celebrating the environmental, cultural and economic impact of the Mississippi River and the land it built through live music, panels, children's activities and walking tours.
-The music lineup includes performances by Javier Olando with AsheSon, Sunpie & the Louisiana Sunspots, Treme-Lafitte Brass Band and more.
-Gumbo and daiquiris will be served by local vendors throughout the event to celebrate this year's festival theme "Gumbo and Daiquiris."
The 10th annual New Orleans Burlesque Festival, September 20th-23rd, will host parties, discussion panels, burlesque workshops and the Queen of Burlesque competition Saturday, September 22nd.
The 9th annual NOLA on Tap will take place September 22nd at New Orleans City Park's Festival Grounds for the largest beer festival in the Gulf South.
-This beer-centric festival will feature 400+ local, national and homebrewed beer, contests, live music, food and art vendors.
The 3rd annual National Fried Chicken Festival will take place September 22nd-23rd along the Mississippi River at Woldenberg Park
-This two-day festival will feature 35 food vendors, two music stages, a cooking demo stage, a Chicken & Champagne VIP Lounge and much more.
The 3rd annual Beignet Fest will take place on October 6th at the Festival Grounds at City Park, featuring every kind of beignet you can images, including several savory variations.
-This year's festival will bring 20 beignet vendors and a fun music lineup including the Confetti Park Players, the Imagination Movers, Soul Project, Eric Lindell and the Original Pinettes Brass Band.
Country Smooth Fest announced a two-day Country Music Festival at NOLA Motorsports Park October 20th-21st. Headliners of the festival include Hunter Hayes, Justin Moore and several others.
For a full list of events, click here.
Attractions
Seven not-for-profit museums in the French Quarter have joined forces to create the French Quarter Museum Association (FQMA), an effort to elevate the profile of history museums as an enriching cultural experience in city's oldest neighborhood.
-Current participating museums are The Historic New Orleans Collection, Hermann-Grima + Gallier Historic Houses, the Beauregard-Keyes Historic House and Garden Museum, the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, the Louisiana State Museum, the New Orleans Jazz Museum at the US Mint and the Catholic Cultural Heritage Center.
-FQMA's first initiative was to open a much-needed Visitor Center as a central hub for information on current exhibitions and programming at all the participating museums.
Live Nation Entertainment recently announced the opening of The Fillmore at Harrah's New Orleans, which will debut in early 2019 as one of the city's premier live music venues.
-The new 2,000-capacity venue, located inside Harrah's Casino, will showcase incredible state-of-the-art production, vintage poster art, VIP amenities, dining options and friendly hospitality.
-The Fillmore first opened in San Francisco in 1968. Fillmores around the U.S. now include: Charlotte, NC; Miami, FL; Silver Spring, MD; Detroit, MI; Philadelphia, PA and soon New Orleans, LA.
The New Orleans School of Cooking was recognized as a top experience by TripAdvisor's first-ever Travelers' Choice Awards.
-Their classes were rated as the No. 2 experience in the United States and the No. 6 experience in the World.
For a full list of awards and accolades, click here.
Restaurants
Galatoire's has hired New Orleans native, Chef Phillip Lopez, to lead the kitchens of both Galatoire's Restaurant and Galatoire's "33" Bar & Steak after an extensive search. He will begin his role as executive chef September 3rd.
-Chef Lopez has more than two decades of experience in the food and beverage industry and has served as Executive Chef, Creative Director and Owner of six culinary concepts around New Orleans.
Chef Donald Link is gearing up to open his latest concept, Gianna, an Italian restaurant.
-James Beard Award-winning Chef Rebecca Wilcomb will be the executive chef.
-Located on the corner of Magazine and Girod streets in the newly built Kalorama building.
New Developments
City Hall announced the historic riverfront redevelopment projects that will open access to the city's riverfront with 3.2 miles of contiguous space from Spanish Plaza to Crescent Park. The development has an estimated completion date of early 2020. The projects include:
-Spanish Plaza-$7.5 million plaza renovation
-Four Seasons-$400 million Renovation of the World Trade Center
-Ferry Pedestrian Bridge-$7.3 million new pedestrian bridge
-Woldenberg Riverfront Park-$6 million park improvements
-Moonwalk Park-$3 million park renovation
-Esplanade and Governor Nicholls Street Wharves-$15 million conversion
-Crescent Park-$31.2 million
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is on track to open the new 972,000 square-foot facility in February 2019.
-This new, world-class terminal complex will completely replace the current facility.
-The $1 billion project includes in-line baggage screening, a consolidated security checkpoint to three concourses and 35 gates, a 2,200-car parking garage and more concessions options located down the center of the aisle.
-The new facility is expected to increase the airport's economic impact by approximately 20% in the next five years and will support 64,000 jobs and $6.4 billion in local spending.
Several new developments have broken ground across the city. For a full list of developments, click here.
Airport
Condor Airlines returned to New Orleans with twice-weekly flights operating Thursdays and Sundays through September 30th, 2018, from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) to Frankfurt International Airport (FRA).
Meetings and Conventions
Meetings (3,000 or more in attendance) includes:
Rodan + Fields Annual Convention-September 13th - 16th
-The Rodan + Fields Annual Convention will feature the latest products, educational seminars and an interactive expo.
Projected attendance: 18,000
Water Environment Federation Annual Technical Exhibition & Conference (WEFTEC)-September 29th-October 3rd
-The Water Environment Federation's Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference is the largest conference of its kind in North American and offers water quality professionals from around the world with the best water quality education and training available today.
Projected attendance: 18,000
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