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| New Orleans (Updated June 9, 2009) |
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 How can I experience New Orleans’ cultural celebrations and festivals this summer? |
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 With its colorful cuisine and passion for music, it is only fitting that the Crescent City honors its culture the best way it knows how…with a party.
Following a successful French Quarter Festival, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and New Orleans Wine and Food Experience, festival season continues on in New Orleans.
ESSENCE Music Festival is celebrating 15 years! This year’s “party with a purpose” will feature seminars by day and musical performers at the Louisiana Superdome at night. Motivational speakers include Dr. Juanita Bynum, Steve Harvey and Bill Cosby. Rocking the stages at night are Beyoncé, Anita Baker, Robin Thicke, Al Green and many more. Join us July 3-5, as we showcase today’s top R&B, jazz, soul and hip-hop artists. www.essencefestival.com
Only three days later, New Orleans celebrates the history of the cocktail July 8-12, with Tales of the Cocktail. In its seventh year, this festival offers cocktail mixing seminars, dinner pairings, discussions and walking tours. Bartending courses are also offered at the Hotel Montelone and other French Quarter locations. www.talesofthecocktail.com
July 30-August 2, New Orleans’ own Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong is honored at Satchmo SummerFest. The festival pays homage to the iconic musician with three days of live music, the “Red Beans and Ricely Yours” dinner, seminars, a second-line parade and children’s activities. www.fqfi.org
Traveling to New Orleans offers great values on hotels, restaurants and attractions. Coupons and more information on festivals are available at www.neworleanscvb.com and www.neworleanscvb.com/mediapackages. |
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| I have not visited New Orleans in a few years. What can I expect? |
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There has never been a better time to visit New Orleans, for business or pleasure. The French Quarter is cleaner than ever before, we have a fresher hotel product, more restaurants, millions of dollars in improvements to the Convention Center and Superdome, and better hospitality, blended with the same culturally authentic, sensory experience visitors have loved for decades.
We have successfully hosted major events with millions of visitors, such as Satchmo SummerFest, ESSENCE Festival, the North American Leaders’ Summit, French Quarter Festival, Jazz Fest, the Zurich Classic, the 57th Annual NBA All-Star Game, Mardi Gras, Allstate Sugar Bowl, State Farm Bayou Classic and major conventions.
In 2009, New Orleans is hosting a series of major city-wide conventions and world-renowned music and cultural festivals, welcoming millions of visitors. |
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| What is the media reporting about New Orleans as a visitor destination? |
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•New Orleans was voted number seven in the “Top 25 Cities and Towns with the Best American Values,” by Newsmax Magazine.
•New Orleans was selected as the “Best Domestic Business City” by Global Traveler Magazine and 31,457 of the publication’s surveyed travelers.
•125,000 surveyors named New Orleans the best city for dining and live music in Headline News and Travel + Leisure Magazine’s annual “America’s Favorite Cities” survey.
• In August 2008, New Orleans was recognized by Travel Age West with an Editor’s Pick for “Best U. S. City for an Urban Vacation.”
• On July 1, 2008, Yellow Tail wines announced New Orleans was voted by online surveyors as “America’s Most Sparkling City.”
• New Orleans was honored as one of the best U.S. cities for gay travel by the 2008 PlanetOut Travel Awards in May of 2008.
• In April 2008, millions of travelers chose New Orleans for TripAdvisor’s “2008 Travelers’ Choice Destinations Award” in the categories of Top 100 World and Top 25 United States.
• New Orleans was chosen as one of the top 10 places to go in 2008 by Sherman’s Travel.
• StudentUniverse.com, an online travel agency specializing in trips for college students, chose New Orleans as one of its top 10 domestic spring break destinations of 2008. |
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| What are my hotel choices? |
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There are over 33,500 hotel rooms available in New Orleans, including small boutique treasures in the French Quarter, charming bed and breakfast properties, major downtown hotel towers and much more. Thanks to city-wide hotel refurbishments and upgrades, New Orleans has one of the freshest hotel products of any major city. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent on hotel upgrades and renovations in the metro New Orleans area.
New hotel developments are happening every day. The Hilton Hotels Corporation is redeveloping the former Fairmont New Orleans, also known as The Roosevelt, as part of the Waldorf Astoria Collection™. The new hotel will have 504 rooms, of which 135 will be luxury suites, state-of-the-art meeting and convention rooms and a 12,000-square-foot, world-class spa and fitness center. The hotel will welcome its first guests in nearly a half-century in July of 2009.
The 166-room La Quinta Inn & Suites, located at 301 Camp Street, reopened its doors in February 2009 after a complete renovation of the hotel's interior and exterior. |
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| What are my restaurant choices? |
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| New Orleans’ restaurant industry hit a new milestone when the city opened its 1,000th restaurant. According to Tom Fitzmorris and www.nomenu.com, there are now 1,004 restaurants open in New Orleans today, a new city record. Visit www.neworleanscvb.com for a full list of restaurants. |
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| What are my options for shopping? |
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| Our shops and boutiques –– from the French Quarter to Magazine Street –– offer the finest and most eclectic shopping options in the United States. Options include The Shops at Canal Place, Saks Fifth Avenue, The Riverwalk, Jax Brewery, as well as hundreds of boutiques, art galleries and antique stores throughout the city. Tax-free shopping is available for international visitors. |
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| What are my options for attractions and museums? |
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New Orleans—widely known for raucous Mardi Gras and spirited nightlife—now has a new and somewhat unexpected label: family destination. With the June 2008 opening of the Audubon Insectarium, the new Blaine Kern’s Mardi Gras World, the return of the entire streetcar line, longstanding classic family-friendly places, and history and culture unsurpassed by any U.S. city, New Orleans has emerged as an ideal destination for families.
The Audubon Insectarium is celebrating one year! The museum, which is completely dedicated to insects and their relatives, is home to 900,000+ bugs. This family-fun museum is celebrating another great honor as well. Chosen from more than 120 nominees, Audubon Insectarium received an award for Outstanding Achievement at the 15th annual Thea Awards Gala on March 7, 2009.
Spectators marvel at war memorabilia for a first-hand history lesson at the National World War II Museum. This perfect family attraction is currently undergoing a $300 million expansion titled The Road to Victory capital campaign.
The first phase will be completed November 6, 2009, and will feature the Victory Theater, a 4-D cinematic experience, and The Stage Door Canteen, a dining and entertainment venue and The American Sector, a chef John Besh Restaurant with cuisine inspired by the Home Front. Tom Brokaw and Tom Hanks are among the confirmed celebrities that will attend the museums opening November 6-8. Additional phases to the expansion will include a campaigns Pavilion, the Liberation Pavilion and additional themed gallery pavilions. The expansion will quadruple the size of the existing facility and will be completed in phases by 2015.
The city of New Orleans is proud to host some of the most spectacular theatrical performances and world-renowned art exhibits. The Mahalia Jackson Theatre of the Performing Arts re-opened on January 8, 2009, after a $27 million renovation. The building now includes a state-of-the-art sound system, a new orchestra shell and enhanced lighting, and is the home to several musical and theatrical performances.
Mardi Gras World is the perfect place to discover the history of Mardi Gras and to go behind the scenes to see how Mardi Gras is made. Blaine Kern’s Mardi Gras World expanded to a new location in January 2009. The 300,000 square foot multi-purpose complex is the company’s new corporate headquarters. It also hosts private events, houses the company’s float building operations and is home to the new Mardi Gras World.
While the arts scene is exploding and our galleries are among the finest in North America, there are also many cultural attractions, such as: plantation homes, riverboat cruises, city tours, Café Du Monde, Cabildo State Museum, New Orleans Historic Collection, Ogden Museum of Southern Art, Audubon Zoo, Harrah’s Casino and its entertainment-filled Fulton Street Promenade, New Orleans Museum of Art, Bestoff Sculpture Garden, Contemporary Arts Center, Louisiana Children’s Museum, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, the New Orleans Ballet, Audubon Insectarium, Southern Food and Beverage Museum, Museum of the American Cocktail and much more. |
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| What are my options for family activities? |
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| New Orleans is rich in family attractions, including the Aquarium of the Americas, Audubon Zoo, Audubon Insectarium, Louisiana State Museum, the Children’s Museum and much more. There also are many tours, ranging from walking tours of the French Quarter to swamp, cemetery and ghost tours. |
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| Will it be difficult to get flights to and from New Orleans? |
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There are plenty of flights into New Orleans! Currently, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport offers 117 flights serving 33 cities.
Airlines operating out of the Armstrong International Airport include: Aeromexico (coming in July), AirTran, American Airlines, Continental, Delta Air Lines, Jet Blue Airlines, Northwest, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines and U.S. Airways.
The New Orleans CVB and the Armstrong International Airport continue to work with national airlines to ensure that groups with large numbers of arrivals can travel to and from the city in a convenient and timely fashion. Through dialogue with the airlines, additional flights have been added and larger planes have been used when extra airlift is needed for a particular event.
In addition to these efforts, Louis Armstrong International Airport has been busy adding new international flights, making several enhancements to its facility and celebrating growth in passenger service.
In April 2009, the airport, in conjunction with the New Orleans CVB, GNO, Inc. and the mayor’s office, announced that Aeromexico will begin six weekly nonstop international flights from Mexico City on July 6, 2009. The airline marks the first international flight to New Orleans since 2005.
Through the $8 million “Music to your Eyes” campaign, the airport is committed to improving customer service, making external terminal improvements to the building including the paving, lighting and replacement of terminal roadway signage. The airport recently opened a walking path for employees and interested passengers. The path is approximately 4/10 of a mile and is a marked area within the airport terminal.
Armstrong International also announced this year that the airport served 7.94 million passengers in 2008, a 5.5 percent increase from 2007. |
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| What type of events does New Orleans offer sports enthusiasts? |
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New Orleans’ line-up of sporting events and sports venues are sure to live up to every fan’s expectations. The city is home several sports teams showcasing premier events in football, basketball, baseball and soccer including the Saints, Hornets, Zephyrs and the Jesters, New Orleans’ soccer team. The state of Louisiana is also renowned for its fishing and hunting hot spots.
New Orleans will host several events in the next few years, including:
• 2012 NCAA Men’s Final Four
• 2012 BCS National Championship
• 2013 NCAA Women’s Final Four
• 2013 Super Bowl
The Allstate Sugar Bowl has committed to New Orleans through the 2014 bowl season while R+L Carriers has signed a contract to host the New Orleans Bowl through 2011.
New Orleans recently hosted major events including:
• 2008 NBA All-Star Game
• 2008 BCS National Championship
• 2008 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
• 2009 Allstate Sugar Bowl
As host to such events, sporting venues are undergoing renovations and improvements. New windows are just one of the latest features of the more than $200 million facelift for the Superdome. The Superdome’s four completely redecorated Club Lounges will also soon be accessible via two private escalators from the outside concourse. The final phase of the upgrades will be a shiny new anodized aluminum outer surface. The Superdome, home of the New Orleans Saints, has reported a fourth consecutive sold-out season this year, including suites. Also, the state of Louisiana recently approved a deal to keep the Saints in New Orleans through 2025. |
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| What are my options for taxis, airport shuttles, buses and streetcars? |
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There are thousands of taxis available on New Orleans streets and at major hotels. Taxi rates are $4.50 plus $1.60 per mile (.20 per one-eighth mile) thereafter. There is also an additional charge of $1.00 per passenger after the first passenger.
During peak visitor times (including Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest) taxi rates are $4 per person or the meter rate, whichever is greater. A fixed rate of $28 (one to two people) is charged from the airport to most areas of New Orleans. For parties of more than two, the fare is $12 per person.
RTA services are $1.25, including bus transportation and the streetcar. Twenty-nine bus lines are running, providing 34,000 rides daily. Bus service allows transportation throughout the city’s major corridor, extending from the Faubourg Marigny to Riverbend.
Airport Shuttle, Inc. is the official ground transportation for Armstrong International Airport, with service to and from New Orleans’ hotels and other designated locations. Fare is $13.00 each way. No reservations are required. |
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| Does Amtrak service New Orleans? |
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| Yes. The City of New Orleans train is running to Memphis and Chicago, while the Crescent runs to Atlanta, Greensboro, Washington D.C. and New York. The Sunset Limited runs to San Antonio and Los Angeles. |
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| What are my options for cruises? |
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New Orleans is a city filled with festivals and cultural activities, leaving plenty of pre- and post-cruise options for cruisers docked at the Crescent City’s port.
The Norwegian Cruise Lines and Carnival Cruise Lines are sailing from New Orleans. Both cruise lines continue to commit to New Orleans through renovations to their ships and contract extensions.
Norwegian Cruise Lines announced in April 2009 that the cruise line will commit one ship to New Orleans through 2014. The cruise line’s ship, the Norwegian Spirit also underwent a multi-million dollar refurbishment in November 2008 before settling in New Orleans, the ship’s homeport for the winter season. A few of the renovations included new wallpaper, curtains and carpet, as well as an upgraded spa and fitness center.
Carnival Cruise Lines announced that it will replace its cruise ship, the Fantasy, with a larger ship, the Triumph, in November 2009. The Triumph will provide passengers with four, five and seven day cruises and will carry 50,000 more passengers a year. There will be no interruption in service for New Orleans during the transition. |
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| What's new at the Convention Center? |
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Following a well-received response to a $60 million makeover in 2006, the New Orleans Morial Convention Center recently completed another round of upgrades to the revered facility. Over $7 million in improvements include: extensive landscaping, new digital large-screen audio/video information systems and furniture pods in the pre-function areas.
More enhancements to the facility, totaling $12 million, are planned for 2009. The next phase of improvements will focus on ballroom renovation, way-finding upgrades, a plush new executive lounge for a hotel-like feel and technology (by establishing a 10 GIG internet backbone facility-wide).
In addition to physical enhancements, the Center has also instituted an ambassador program dubbed “Fleur de Lis.” Attired in unmistakable purple blazers, Fleur de Lis will greet convention goers at every entrance in traditional New Orleans style.
The Center is hosting a full 2009 line up, with 84 major conventions, tradeshows and events bringing nearly 667,000 attendees to the city. In the first quarter of 2009, the Center welcomed Professional Convention Management Association’s Annual Convention––a testament to the confidence the meeting industry has in New Orleans. |
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| What are the New Orleans CVB and the city of New Orleans doing to be environmentally friendly? |
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Call it green, call it sustainability, but being environmentally savvy is not a trend. It's an important business practice that's here to stay. That’s why New Orleans is one of many destinations working to become more environmentally friendly.
For example, the New Orleans Morial Convention Center is one of the largest convention centers in the nation with 1.1 million square feet of contiguous exhibit space. Imagine the environmentally-friendly practices that can be implemented in a building that is over one mile long and host to some of the nation’s largest conventions and exhibits.
So far, the New Orleans Morial Convention Center and its partner ARAMARK have many green programs underway. A few practices the New Orleans Morial Convention Center is adopting into their daily practices are water conservation, energy conservation, waste reduction and clean air practices.
Even New Orleans Mardi Gras celebration is going green. Kern Studios, the largest producer of Carnival floats, reduced the impact on the environment by using biodiesel in the tractors pulling floats along the parade routes in 2008.
In addition, Hotard, one of the area’s leading providers of motor coach transportation, is switching to a greener fleet. The company has begun to introduce new motor coach models that cut particulate matter, black smoke, by 90 percent. The company is investigating additional ways that it can go green, including the use of bio-diesel fuel.
Airport Shuttle New Orleans, the official airport transportation provider for the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, is going green with all new clean burning propane hybrid vehicles. Propane is now being used in all of Airport Shuttle’s 13 new vehicles, thanks to a new technology that enabled the conversion of existing engines to a propane hybrid.
Many hotels are implementing green practices as well. Other tips for travelers are available at www.neworleanscvb.com. |
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| What major convention groups has New Orleans recently hosted? |
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•New Orleans is bucking the trend in what is traditionally a slow June and July when the city hosts six consecutive city-wide conventions. American Diabetes Association, SP Richards, the CLEAN Show, Society for Human Resource Management, ESSENCE Music Festival and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will bring tens of thousands of meeting attendees to the city this summer.
•The week of April 2-9 proved to be a busy week for New Orleans’ convention industry. During this time, the city hosted several major conventions including the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, American Mosquito Control Association, National Afterschool Association, the New Orleans Dental Conference and PyrateCon, all in all bringing tens of thousands of convention-goers to the city in seven days.
•Thousands in the golf and club management industry visited New Orleans for Golf Course Superintendants Association of America, Club Managers Association and National Golf Course Owners hosted the 2009 Golf Industry Show February 5-10.
•The National Automobile Dealers Association convened in New Orleans January 24-27, 2009, to discuss the latest trends in the auto industry and address the unprecedented issues their industry is facing.
•The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) visited New Orleans January 11-14, 2009. PCMA, also known as the "Super Bowl" of the convention and meetings industry, brought more than 3,000 of the top decision-makers and meeting professionals who make over $40 billion of meeting commitments annually.
•The International WorkBoat Show came to New Orleans December 3-5, 2008, and brought approximately 14,000 attendees. The event was also held in 2006 and 2007 and has announced its plans to return to New Orleans in 2009.
•New Orleans hosted the 2008 Starbucks Leadership Conference October 26-30, 2008. The conference marked the first time in history that Starbucks hosted this gathering outside of its headquarter city.
•SNM (Society of Nuclear Medicine) met in New Orleans June 14-18, 2008, with record attendance of 6,300, which exceeded normal levels of 4,000.
•The National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) presented the Cable Show at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center May 17-20, 2008. The annual convention showcased upcoming trends in the cable world and celebrated the industry with over 14,000 attendees. Cable Cares, an industry-wide community service initiative, provided a hand to schools throughout the New Orleans area. This year, hundreds of workers from Cable Cares were committed to rebuilding two new playgrounds for elementary schools, wired a school with advanced cable services, painted and landscaped the grounds of a local high school and donated thousands of books to libraries in need through a book drive.
•The American Chemical Society (ACS) convened in New Orleans April 6-9, 2008. Over 14,000 attendees participated in the 235th ACS National Meeting & Exposition.
•The Pittsburgh Conference & Expo (Pittcon®) held their annual meeting in New Orleans from March 1-6, 2008. The 59th conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy was a city-wide convention with 19,535 attendees.
•Corporate America is re-discovering New Orleans as a meeting destination, bringing new, shorter-term meetings business to the city in 2008. Starbucks, Shaklee, McAlister’s Deli and many others have been drawn to New Orleans for the wealth of “voluntourism” community service opportunities available to expand corporate philanthropic efforts. (For example: Habitat for Humanity projects are being added to corporate meeting agendas.) |
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| What groups are holding meetings in New Orleans in 2009? |
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Event/Date
Professional Convention Management Association/Jan. 11-14
American Fence Association/Jan. 14-16
National Automobile Dealers Association/Jan. 24-27
American Society for Parenteral & Enteral Nutrition/Feb. 1-4
Golf Course Superintendents Association of America/Feb.2-7
Helen Brett Enterprises/Feb. 14-17
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association/ Feb. 11-16
National Science Teachers Association/March 19-22
True Value Company/ March 27-29
Association of Fundraising Professionals/March 29-April 1
National Afterschool Association/April 2-4
National Association of Elementary School Principals/April 2-6
Lifeway Christian Resources/April 3-4
New Orleans Dental Conference/April 2-4
American Mosquito Control Association/April 5-9
Federation of American Societies/Experimental Biology/April 18-22
Sourcemedia Conferences & Events/May 4-7
Direct Marketing Association/April 6-8
Helen Brett Enterprises/May 16-19
Association of Legal Administrators/May 18-21
American Diabetes Association/June 5-9
Southern Forest Products Association/June 9-10
World Educational Congress for Laundering & Dry Cleaning/June 18-21
Society for Human Resource Management/June 28-July 1
Louisiana Restaurant Association/July 18-20
Helen Brett Enterprises/Aug. 21-26
National Black MBA Association Inc./Sept.23-24
Society of Petroleum Engineers/Oct.4-7
Specialty Graphic Imaging Association/Oct.7-9
American Society of Anesthesiologists/Oct. 17-21
National Community of Pharmacists Association/Oct. 17-21
Congress of Neurological Surgeons/Oct. 24-29
American Association of Blood Banks/Oct. 24-27
National Minority Supplier Development Council/Oct. 24-28
Helen Brett Enterprises/Oct. 30-Nov. 4
U.S. Department of Environmental Protection Agency/Nov. 15-17
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association/Nov. 19-21
Diversified Business Communications/Dec. 2-4
American Society of Hematology/Dec. 5-8 |
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| Is New Orleans a safe place for visitors? |
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Yes. No other city in the world manages special events, crowd control and visitor safety as well as New Orleans.
Visitors to our city should expect:
oVisible police presence in tourist and convention areas by uniformed officers on foot, in patrol cars and on horseback
oUndercover police presence in tourist and convention areas by plain-clothed officers
oStrategically placed “sky towers” for major events
oProfessional, courteous police officers in tourist and convention areas are ready to assist you
oMore officers being added to the NOPD thanks to a police recruiting campaign to attract the best and brightest talent
The city welcomes millions of visitors per year, and is world renowned for the safe and successful management of major tourism events such as the 2008 NBA All Star Game, Jazz and Heritage Festival (375,000 people), Mardi Gras (800,000-1 million people), Essence Festival, professional and college football championship games, conferences and business events ranging from a 10-person corporate board meeting to large association city-wide conventions with tens of thousands of attendees from around the world.
The New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) works closely with the business community, political leaders, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) and new District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro (elected in November 2008) to make New Orleans a safe, quality place to live, work and visit.
In addition, the New Orleans CVB informs the top leadership of the NOPD of the complete convention schedule so they may provide added protection in visitor areas.
Crime exists in all major cities. In New Orleans, 99 percent of violent crime is targeted criminal-on-criminal drug and retaliation acts which occur in inner-city neighborhoods, not in popular tourist areas.
As with any destination, we recommend that vacationers and convention attendees practice common sense and do not wander into deserted, non-tourist areas of the city.
New Orleans remains a national treasure and we want everyone who visits it to have a safe and enjoyable time. |
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| How has the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau prepared for hurricane season? |
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The New Orleans CVB Tourism Crisis Management Plan, along with diligent and thorough preparation with an emphasis on safety, will assist visitors in responding appropriately to emergencies. The City of New Orleans and State of Louisiana have implemented a unified emergency communications plan to ensure the timely flow of information across the region in emergency situations. A comprehensive and effective city-wide emergency communications plan for the Greater New Orleans tourism industry has been developed for visitors.
New Orleans' tourism community proved to be exceptionally well prepared for Hurricane Gustav. The evacuation of some 30,000 visitors to the city Labor Day Weekend in less than 24 hours went well and almost flawlessly followed the emergency plan established after Hurricane Katrina. The city received positive national media coverage for its preparedness and the outstanding leadership of government officials. Today, New Orleans is proud to not only be the nation's leader in fun, food, music and major cultural and sporting events, but now to be the most sophisticated destination in the world in all levels of emergency planning, execution and visitor management.
According to the Army Corps of Engineers, all needed repairs to levees and floodwalls were completed prior to hurricane season 2006. The Corps is driving to provide 100-year protection for hurricane season 2011. Other system improvements include safe houses in Jefferson Parish; strengthened transitions and armored floodwalls; repair to non-federal pump stations; and storm proofing of existing interior drainage pump stations in Jefferson and Orleans Parishes.
Inner Harbor Navigation Canal levees and floodwalls were improved and strengthened; Gulf Intracoastal Waterway earthen levees were raised; grass was planted along the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet to prevent erosion; and pumps were placed at three outfall canals for a total pumping capacity of about 16,000 cubic feet per second. The Corps and the state of Louisiana are also studying higher levels of protection as well as ecosystem restoration. |
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| What are my options should I need medical care while visiting? |
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Hospitals convenient to tourist areas are:
• Touro Infirmary, 1404 Foucher St., 504-897-7011, www.touro.com
• Tulane University Hospital and Clinic, 1415 Tulane Ave., 504-988-5800, www.tuhc.com
• Ochsner Clinic Foundation and Hospital, 1514 Jefferson Highway, 800-874-8984, www.ochsner.org/frontpage/default.htm
• Children’s Hospital, 200 Henry Clay Ave., 504-899-9511, www.chnola.org
• Ochsner Baptist Medical Center, 2700 Napoleon Ave., 866-624-7637, www.ochsner.org/locations/baptist/
Additionally, the New Orleans Urgent Care facility recently opened at 900 Magazine Street, www.neworleansurgentcare.com/services.asp, 504-552-433. Located a few blocks from the Convention Center, the facility is able to treat symptoms such as headaches, fever, sore throat, cough, nausea, vomiting, neck and back pain, cuts and scrapes, bites and boils, allergies, colds, broken bones, stomach pain, sprains and strains. |
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| What options are available to volunteer to help a neighborhood that was affected by Hurricane Katrina? |
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| From convention visitors to leisure travelers, church groups to high school and college students, people have shown incredible generosity in giving of their time and talent, and a great deal of elbow grease, helping the city of New Orleans in its recovery and restoration. The office of Lt.Governor has formed an official organization that matches volunteer opportunities with volunteers, called Volunteer Louisiana. Visit www.volunteerlouisiana.gov to get started. |
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| What is the population of New Orleans? Will there be workers to staff the hotels and restaurants? |
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Yes, according GCR & Associates, roughly 72-75 percent of the population or 327,000 residents have returned to New Orleans proper with GCR estimating 454,000 residents prior to Hurricane Katrina. According to the August 24, 2008, issue of The Times-Picayune, Post-Katrina, the metropolitan New Orleans area has 1,165,440 residents. Pre-Katrina, this number was approximately 1.3 million.
New Orleans’ hospitality industry is the city’s largest employer with a workforce that is over 70,000 strong. |
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| Mardi Gras |
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| Is the Success of Mardi Gras Measured by the Amount of Trash Collected? |
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| No, but before the age of recycling, the success of Mardi Gras in Orleans Parish was sometimes jokingly measured by the amount of trash collected by the New Orleans Sanitation Department. For several years in the late 1980s, the total for the 12-day parading season topped the 2,000-ton mark. |
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| Is Mardi Gras Really Connected to Religion? |
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| Yes. The Catholic Church licensed Carnival, which means "farewell to flesh," as a period of feasting before the fasting of Lent. The Church also established the set date for the start of the Carnival season -- January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany -- and the fluctuating date of Mardi Gras. |
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| Is Mardi Gras Elitist? |
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| Not any more. While wealthy white males once controlled Carnival (and most of America), Mardi Gras is one of the nation's most diverse institutions and it offers a rich cultural experience to participants and spectators. |
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| How Do I Get to be King? |
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| If you're not a krewe member or a celebrity, you don't. The method of selecting Mardi Gras royalty varies from krewe to krewe. The King of Carnival is chosen by the inner circle of the School of Design, the sponsoring organization for the Rex parade. Some krewes hold random drawings to pick their king or queen. Most clubs charge the selected monarch a fee to reign. In several of the newer krewes, elaborate ceremonies called "coronation balls" are staged to crown their royalty. |
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| What is the story of the umbrella? |
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| The Story of the Umbrella dates back to around 1830, when the black community sang slow spirituals behind a funeral. After the burial the umbrellas were brought out and twirled to lively music, signaling that the soul of the deceased was now in heaven and happiness prevailed. We now use umbrellas for all occasions, from weddings to sporting events. Source: Everything N'Awlins, 2003 |
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| Why Does the Date of Mardi Gras Change? |
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| Because it's connected to the moveable date of Easter, which can fall on any Sunday from March 23 to April 25. Mardi Gras is scheduled 47 days preceding Easter and can occur on any Tuesday from February 3 through March 9. |
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| When Was the First Mardi Gras Parade Held in New Orleans? |
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| On February 24, 1857. The Mistick Krewe of Comus, Carnival's first secret society, coined the word "krewe" and was the first to choose a mythological namesake, to present a themed parade with floats, and to follow it with a tableaux ball. |
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| Is it True Mobile Celebrated Mardi Gras before New Orleans? |
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| Yes and no. New Orleans' first Carnival krewe was founded in 1857 by former members of Mobile's Cowbellian de Rakin Society, which was founded in 1830. However, Mobile's parades were held on New Year's Eve until 1866, when they switched to Fat Tuesday. |
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| Krewes Are Named after What? |
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| The colorful worlds of Greek, Roman and Egyptian mythology are the sources of nearly half of the parading krewe names. Other clubs are named after the neighborhoods through which they travel, while some are named after historical figures or places. |
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| What Do the Carnival Colors Mean? |
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| Purple represents justice, green stands for faith, and gold signifies power. Rex, the King of Carnival, selected them in 1872 for his first parade. While they were probably chosen simply because they looked good together, Rex assigned a meaning to each in his 1892 parade, entitled "Symbolism of Colors." |
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| What Are Balls and Why Can't I Go? |
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| Carnival balls are private formal affairs (tuxedos and long gowns required) and are by invitation only. Bals Masque (masked balls) in New Orleans predate the first parade by more than a century. More than 125 private balls are presented each season in the city's Municipal Auditorium and in the grand ballrooms of major hotels. Mock royalty reigns over each ball, where a king, queen, maids and dukes are presented. In the older society krewes, the court is made up of debutantes. Some clubs stage "tableaux" (theatrical scenes) enacted by krewe members, and favors are given to special guests. Krewes such as Bacchus, Orpheus, Endymion and Zulu have replaced the traditional ball with extravaganzas presented at the Louisiana Superdome and at the Morial Convention Center. Tickets are sold to these events. |
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| What's the Theme for this Year? |
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| There is no general theme for Mardi Gras, but each individual parade depicts a specific subject. The floats then reflect the krewe's theme for that year. Maskers are costumed in a manner that illustrates the overall parade theme and the individual float title. Among the more popular subjects have been history, children's stories, legends, geography, famous people, entertainment, mythology and literature. |
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| Do I Have to Mask? |
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| No, but you should, at least on Fat Tuesday, the only day when street masking is legal (from dawn to dusk). Masking, which can be elaborate or makeshift, dates from Roman carnivals when assuming false identifies was a common practice. By law, float riders must be masked at all times. |
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| Is Secrecy Still a Part of Carnival? |
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| Yes. While many Carnival clubs are fairly accessible (some even have websites), most maintain the tradition of secrecy that has been a part of Mardi Gras since its earliest days. A unique custom in the older organizations is that the king's name is never made public. An exception is Rex, whose name is revealed the day before his parade. And while many in the media know his identity days in advance, the embargo on publishing it has never been violated. |
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| What about Celebrities? |
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| The Krewe of Bacchus began the tradition of selecting celebrity kings with its first parade in 1969, when Danny Kaye reigned. Endymion and Orpheus also annually invite guest celebrities to ride in their parades. Some of the more popular stars to have appeared are Bob Hope, Dolly Parton, Wayne Newton, John Goodman, Jackie Gleason, Britney Spears, Kirk Douglas, Harry Connick Jr., Nicholas Cage and the Beach Boys. In most cases visiting stars are not paid to ride, although the krewes do cover their expenses. |
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| Has Mardi Gras Ever Been Canceled? |
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| Yes, but not often. Since 1857, only 13 Fat Tuesdays have been affected. Most cancellations were caused by wars: Civil, WWI, WWII and Korean. |
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| Is Mardi Gras Really X-rated? |
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| No, it is not. Unfortunately, the wild antics of visiting coeds on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter have gained such publicity that they have become the national image of Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras is generally a safe, G-rated event enjoyed by families. The festivities provide an opportunity for adults to act like kids again. |
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| What Makes Mardi Gras Parades Different? |
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| Throws! Baubles tossed from floats turn New Orleans parades into crowd participation events. It is not uncommon for a float rider to spend $500 or more on beads, cups and doubloons, which are freely thrown to parade viewers. |
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| Is Mardi Gras Staged for Visitors? |
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| Not really. While the "greatest free show on earth' draws hundreds of thousands of visitors, that is not its purpose. Mardi Gras is a party the city throws for itself. It has developed into a world-class tourist attraction, yet the City of New Orleans doesn't spend a cent promoting it. |
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| What Companies Sponsor Mardi Gras? |
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| They don't. Mardi Gras is the only entertainment venue in the world where the stars foot the bill and the audience gets a free ride. By tradition and by law, Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans may not be corporately sponsored. Carnival clubs are chartered as nonprofit organizations. They are financed by dues, by the sale of krewe-emblemed merchandise to the members and by fundraising projects such as bingos. |
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| Why Can't I Buy an Official Mardi Gras Poster? |
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| There is no such thing. Unlike the Olympics or the SuperBowl, there is no governing authority to license products. Mardi Gras is like Christmas and Halloween -- it belongs to everyone. Beware of any item that bears the title "official." The claim (and the product?) are bogus. Free enterprise reigns supreme over Mardi Gras, making it a virtual paradise for entrepreneurs who compete for counter space and the attention of the public. |
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| Who Coordinates Mardi Gras? |
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| No one. While city governments issue parade permits, there is no overall authority that coordinates the five dozen parades held in the metro area during the 12 days that precede Fat Tuesday. Each parading organization is completely autonomous. |
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