French Quarter Festival Adds Spice to New Orleans, LA
The French Quarter Festival is back in New Orleans, LA to shake up the beautiful southern city with incredible music. This event takes place April 9th through the 11th. There will be rock, jazz, blues, and more to look forward to at this event. If you love music, you will love this event. There will also be great dishes to sample while you’re there. Make the most of your getaway with the French Quarter Festival experience.
Don’t forget to take a tour of the French Quarters while you’re there. You can’t fully appreciate a French Quarter Festival without knowledge of the area. A tour can give you all the information you want. The French Quarter Walking Tour invites you to take a stroll through this gorgeous part of New Orleans. Learn about voodoo practices and the Ursuline Convent at the same time in this tour.
Enjoy the other parts of New Orleans while you’re there. Visit the Garden District with the Garden District Walking Tour. You will be surprised how different this district will be from the French Quarters. The Garden District tour will take you on a tour of the area which has often been written of. Anne Rice, one of the most popular writers of this time, has even written some of her stories about the area.
If you’re interested in the stately past of New Orleans, take a tour of the West Bank Plantations with the West Bank Plantation Tour. This tour will take you to lovely plantations that are now kept for tours and plantations that are still running and important to New Orleans economy today. You will see historic slave quarters and sugar cane fields and learn a lot about the way plantations functioned in the past.
New Orleans’ Notorious Mardi Gras
The Christmas season is quickly coming to a close, and whether you’re excited to get back to some semblance of normalcy or sad that the cheery holiday is over, it’s nice to know you have something to look forward to. No, I’m not talking about New Year’s Eve. For the city of New Orleans, this holiday is even bigger than New Year’s. It’s a little occasion known as Mardi Gras.
While Mardi Gras is tied into the Catholic season of Lent, you don’t have to be Catholic to enjoy this momentous celebration. Mardi Gras is a festival that takes place for 42 days beginning with the Feast of the Epiphany and ending with the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday. The true Mardi Gras is celebrated on Fat Tuesday, which is always the Tuesday 46 days before Easter.
For the 2010 festivities, the celebration will begin on January 6 and end with a New Orleans-style affair on February 16. These 42 days will be filled with parties, parades, dances, and balls. The festivities are presided over by Rex, an honor that falls to a new person every year, and certain decisions by past Rexes have lasted through the decades. For example, the official Mardi Gras colors (purple, green, and gold) were chosen by the Rex of the 1872 festival.
If you’re planning to be in the area, there are several places that will keep you close to all of the festivities. For a budget friendly hotel, you should consider the Best Western French Quarter. This hotel is located only three blocks from Bourbon Street, so you won’t miss a thing! If you’re seeking a few more amenities, you should consider the 3-Star Holiday Inn French Quarter. This hotel is conveniently located in the heart of the French Quarter, keeping you only a few steps from the center of the celebration.
If a luxury trip to the Big Easy is how you want to celebrate Mardi Gras, there are two stand-out choices for your hotel. Both 4-Star hotels have everything you might need, and a few things you’ll definitely want. The Renaissance Arts Hotel is only a few blocks from the Riverwalk and less than one mile from French Quarter. This incredible location will keep you in the heart of the festival and still provide for a little peace and quiet when you need it. Another option is the Astor Crowne Plaza Hotel nestled on the corner where Bourbon Street meets Canal Street. If you’re looking for a hotel that lets you walk out the front door and right into the festivities, this is the one.
Whether you’re headed down to New Orleans for the fabulous parades and parties, the famous Mardi Gras beads, or the scrumptious traditional king cake, New Orleans is waiting with open arms.
Don’t Miss the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans, Louisiana
If you are a music lover, July 3-5 is the perfect time to visit New Orleans and take in the Essence Music Festival. Featuring a weekend full of top name acts, this festival promises to provide a great time in the Big Easy.
The headliner of this year’s festival is Beyonce, one of U.S.’s best entertainers. This is just one stop on her United States tours, and her concerts have been sold out all over the country. Other big name acts include John Legend, a soulful Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter. Hip-hop lovers will love the musical stylings of Ne-yo and Robin Thicke, two young artists who are quickly making names for themselves.
Other artists set to perform include Solange (Knowles, Beyonce’s sister), Lionel Ritchie, Al Green, Salt-n-Pepa, Jazmine Sullivan, En Vogue, and Eric Benet. For music fans interested in the jazz scene, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Rebirth Brass Band will provide great New Orleans jazz music.
Another feature of the weekend is special seminars conducted by notable speakers. These presenters include Bill Cosby, Rev. Al Sharpton, Mayor Ray Nagin, and Dr. Juanita Bynum and Bishop T.D. Jakes, two speakers noted for their inspiring and uplifting seminars. Other presenters include Roland Martin, author, Donna Brazile, Demoratic political strategist, Steve Harvey, and many more.
This is the 15th anniversary of this festival, which was started to celebrate the birthday of Essence magazine. Filled with notable music acts and famous speakers for seminars, this weekend is sure to provide an awesome time in New Orleans.
Hotel rooms are sure to fill up fast for this great event, especially because it is on July 4th weekend. Be sure to book your room early so you can get a great room close to the festivities. We offer a wide range of hotels in New Orleans, so you will be sure to find a hotel that is perfect for you. If you want to take a break from the festival or extend your vacation, we offer lots of great tours and activities in New Orleans. Whether you are taking a foodie tour of the city or a carriage ride through the French Quarter, any of our activities is a great addition to the Essence Music Festival.
