April 29, 2013
In years past, New Orleans has been a place to get away from during the hot, steamy summer months. Not anymore! Taking its cue from the old Sly & The Family Stone song, New Orleans has now become the place to come to for some "hot fun in the summertime."
Plenty of "hot fun" things are cooking here this summer, especially in the French Quarter and surrounding neighborhoods. Recent years have seen the addition of new summer fun events, the expansion of existing ones and the continued existence of those that have been here for awhile.
In late May you can cheer and toast the Krewe of Cork as they weave their way along, wine glasses in hand, during their Royal Street Stroll; one of the highlights of the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience. Or you can sip a refreshing cocktail you learned how to make at Tales of the Cocktail in mid July. If music is your thing and you like to swing, the Cajun-Zydeco Festival at the Old U.S. Mint in early June is the place you want to be.
You can "run with the bulls" at the San Fermin Festival or you can relax and enjoy a concert in the courtyard of the Historic New Orleans Collection. You can shop at the historic French Market or, if you just want to enjoy a casual stroll, you can check out the antiques shops and art galleries on Royal Street while gazing in awe of the centuries-old architecture and ornate balconies.
If you prefer to see the sights and let someone else do the driving (or the steering!) you can ride a Gray Line sightseeing tour or embark on a Mississippi River cruise aboard the Natchez, an authentic paddlewheel steamboat. And, topping it all off, New Orleans' famous nightlife awaits you in the rockin' music clubs on Bourbon Street and nearby Frenchmen Street.
The summer fun starts at the Historic New Orleans Collection, 520 Royal Street. A repository for the archives of a nearly 300-year-old city, HNOC is also a venue for a series of concerts in their scenic courtyard.
On May 17, Mas Mamones, a Latin jazz band, will rock the flagstones with their lively Afro-Cuban rhythms. On June 21, versatile cellist Helen Gillet will entertain with some classical pieces, as well as some more familiar, contemporary works. Admission to the concerts is $10 and includes complimentary beverages.
Visitors to the Collection can view the current exhibition, "Seeking the Unknown: Natural History Observations in Louisiana, 1698-1840," through June 2. On June 19 the next exhibition opens, "Pipe Dreams: Louisiana Under the Company of the Indies, 1717-1731."
Then, on May 23, it's time to make way for the New Orleans "funsters!" It's the Krewe of Cork's annual "Royal Street Stroll," coinciding with the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience. These jolly guys and gals in their wine-themed costumes and, will make you laugh and cheer as they slowly wind their way down Royal Street during their bacchanalian revelry.
And, for those who want to partake in the whole experience, the NOWFE is still taking reservations for its myriad of wine- and food-related events at various locales mostly in and around the French Quarter. There are Grand Tastings from dozens of wineries from around the world, wine and food pairings at local restaurants and seminars on a wide range of topics, led by winemakers and other experts in viticulture. The dates are May 22-25.
Laissez le bon temps rouler! Let the good times roll, and they do - for FREE! - at the Cajun-Zydeco Festival. With swingin' Cajun and Zydeco music, fabulous food, colorful crafts and more, you can "pass a good time" there on the grounds of the Old U.S. Mint, opposite the French Market, on June 8 and 9.
Although this year's musical lineup hasn't yet been announced, you can expect some of the living legends of Cajun and Zydeco music to be there, just as they have in the past. World-famous Cajun food will be on sale, including all of the delicacies touted in the classic Hank Williams song - "jambalaya, crawfish pie, file gumbo." Also boudin, andouille and other delightfully spicy sausages, including - for the more adventurous - alligator sausage! Cajun handicrafts will also be for sale, including jewelry, cypress wood sculptures and colorful hand-carved duck decoys.
Festival hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on both days.
Want to run with the bulls like they do in Spain without getting hurt? During the New Orleans version of Spain's San Fermin Festival (July 11-14), the "Bulls" are the skaters from the Big Easy Rollergirls and the horns on their helmets are only for show. What they "gore" you with while you're running are soft, styrofoam wiffleball bats and, if you're hit you'd better go down and STAY down! Otherwise you might get "gored" again.
It's all good fun, New Orleans style, and it's FREE. You can watch and cheer from the sidelines or you can run. If you decide to run, there is a dress code. Check their website for more details. The run is on Saturday, July 13 and the route is expected to pass through or close to the French Quarter.
For an exotic drink experience, Tales of the Cocktail should be on your bucket list of fun things to do if you plan on being in New Orleans in mid-July. The annual event, most of which is taking place at the Hotel Monteleone (July 17-21), features hundreds of cocktails devised by some of the world's leading mixologists who have elevated bartending to a fine art. Other fun and educational events are also on the TOC lineup and registration for most of these events is still open.
Other fun things to do in and around the French Quarter include the historic French Market, the oldest city marketplace in the U.S., founded in the 1790s. You can browse around and purchase anything from exquisite jewelry to colorful apparel to fine artwork to recordings of great New Orleans jazz artists. Not to mention fresh produce and other great edibles. And you may want to stick around for some of their fun events, which include concerts, book signings and cooking demonstrations.
Along elegant Royal Street, you can shop for antiques, fine jewelry, colorful works of art, high-fashion apparel and many other one-of-a-kind items you might not find anywhere else. For all you camera buffs, keep extra batteries close by. You'll need them to capture images of all the unique architecture on both sides of the street and the ornate balconies with their centuries-old wrought-iron designs.
To learn more about the fascinating history of New Orleans, it doesn't get any better than hearing it come from a well-versed tour guide aboard a Gray Line Sightseeing Tour. There are many tours to choose from. There are guided walking tours through the French Quarter and the cemeteries, as well as along Bourbon Street to hear the music that New Orleans made famous - jazz. There are also city tours that take you to other parts of town, including those worst hit by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. There are even "Pirate Tours" that take you to the haunts of the notorious Jean Lafitte and other legendary buccaneers.
Or, if you prefer to see the watery side of the city, you can board an authentic paddlewheel steamboat, the Natchez, for a cruise along the Mississippi River. The Natchez, with its three spacious decks, offers spectacular views in all directions, and you can even visit the engine room and see up close how the steam-driven pistons power the paddlewheel. Inside the boat, is a full line of amenities, including food and drinks and plenty of souvenirs to help you remember your "rollin' on the river" excursion. A dinner jazz cruise with a live Dixieland band is an unforgettable experience.
And, as the icing on the cake, there is always the pulsating, round-the-clock night life, the likes of which you won't find anywhere but on Bourbon Street. Block after block of bars and music clubs, Bourbon Street has something for nearly everyone. Jazz, blues, rock, funk, country . . . you name it, it's out there. Dance, party, cut loose and have a fun time. And why not? Everyone else is!
These are just a few of the many things you can do to have fun in the city that loves to have fun. So party hearty and enjoy your summer visit to the Big Easy.
AT A GLANCE . . .
For more complete information about these events, here is a handy list of websites you can check out:
Cajun-Zydeco Festival: http://www.jazzandheritage.org/cajun-zydeco
San Fermin Festival/Running of the Bulls: http://nolabulls.com
New Orleans Wine & Food Experience: http://www.nowfe.com
French Market: http://www.frenchmarket.org
Gray Line Tours: http://www.graylineneworleans.com
Steamboat Natchez: http://www.steamboatnatchez.com
Royal Street: http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/fq/royalstreet.html
Bourbon Street: http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/fq/bourbonstreet.html
Historic New Orleans Collection: http://www.hnoc.org
Tales of the Cocktail: http://www.talesofthecocktail.com
Plenty of "hot fun" things are cooking here this summer, especially in the French Quarter and surrounding neighborhoods. Recent years have seen the addition of new summer fun events, the expansion of existing ones and the continued existence of those that have been here for awhile.
In late May you can cheer and toast the Krewe of Cork as they weave their way along, wine glasses in hand, during their Royal Street Stroll; one of the highlights of the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience. Or you can sip a refreshing cocktail you learned how to make at Tales of the Cocktail in mid July. If music is your thing and you like to swing, the Cajun-Zydeco Festival at the Old U.S. Mint in early June is the place you want to be.
You can "run with the bulls" at the San Fermin Festival or you can relax and enjoy a concert in the courtyard of the Historic New Orleans Collection. You can shop at the historic French Market or, if you just want to enjoy a casual stroll, you can check out the antiques shops and art galleries on Royal Street while gazing in awe of the centuries-old architecture and ornate balconies.
If you prefer to see the sights and let someone else do the driving (or the steering!) you can ride a Gray Line sightseeing tour or embark on a Mississippi River cruise aboard the Natchez, an authentic paddlewheel steamboat. And, topping it all off, New Orleans' famous nightlife awaits you in the rockin' music clubs on Bourbon Street and nearby Frenchmen Street.
The summer fun starts at the Historic New Orleans Collection, 520 Royal Street. A repository for the archives of a nearly 300-year-old city, HNOC is also a venue for a series of concerts in their scenic courtyard.
On May 17, Mas Mamones, a Latin jazz band, will rock the flagstones with their lively Afro-Cuban rhythms. On June 21, versatile cellist Helen Gillet will entertain with some classical pieces, as well as some more familiar, contemporary works. Admission to the concerts is $10 and includes complimentary beverages.
Visitors to the Collection can view the current exhibition, "Seeking the Unknown: Natural History Observations in Louisiana, 1698-1840," through June 2. On June 19 the next exhibition opens, "Pipe Dreams: Louisiana Under the Company of the Indies, 1717-1731."
Then, on May 23, it's time to make way for the New Orleans "funsters!" It's the Krewe of Cork's annual "Royal Street Stroll," coinciding with the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience. These jolly guys and gals in their wine-themed costumes and, will make you laugh and cheer as they slowly wind their way down Royal Street during their bacchanalian revelry.
And, for those who want to partake in the whole experience, the NOWFE is still taking reservations for its myriad of wine- and food-related events at various locales mostly in and around the French Quarter. There are Grand Tastings from dozens of wineries from around the world, wine and food pairings at local restaurants and seminars on a wide range of topics, led by winemakers and other experts in viticulture. The dates are May 22-25.
Laissez le bon temps rouler! Let the good times roll, and they do - for FREE! - at the Cajun-Zydeco Festival. With swingin' Cajun and Zydeco music, fabulous food, colorful crafts and more, you can "pass a good time" there on the grounds of the Old U.S. Mint, opposite the French Market, on June 8 and 9.
Although this year's musical lineup hasn't yet been announced, you can expect some of the living legends of Cajun and Zydeco music to be there, just as they have in the past. World-famous Cajun food will be on sale, including all of the delicacies touted in the classic Hank Williams song - "jambalaya, crawfish pie, file gumbo." Also boudin, andouille and other delightfully spicy sausages, including - for the more adventurous - alligator sausage! Cajun handicrafts will also be for sale, including jewelry, cypress wood sculptures and colorful hand-carved duck decoys.
Festival hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on both days.
Want to run with the bulls like they do in Spain without getting hurt? During the New Orleans version of Spain's San Fermin Festival (July 11-14), the "Bulls" are the skaters from the Big Easy Rollergirls and the horns on their helmets are only for show. What they "gore" you with while you're running are soft, styrofoam wiffleball bats and, if you're hit you'd better go down and STAY down! Otherwise you might get "gored" again.
It's all good fun, New Orleans style, and it's FREE. You can watch and cheer from the sidelines or you can run. If you decide to run, there is a dress code. Check their website for more details. The run is on Saturday, July 13 and the route is expected to pass through or close to the French Quarter.
For an exotic drink experience, Tales of the Cocktail should be on your bucket list of fun things to do if you plan on being in New Orleans in mid-July. The annual event, most of which is taking place at the Hotel Monteleone (July 17-21), features hundreds of cocktails devised by some of the world's leading mixologists who have elevated bartending to a fine art. Other fun and educational events are also on the TOC lineup and registration for most of these events is still open.
Other fun things to do in and around the French Quarter include the historic French Market, the oldest city marketplace in the U.S., founded in the 1790s. You can browse around and purchase anything from exquisite jewelry to colorful apparel to fine artwork to recordings of great New Orleans jazz artists. Not to mention fresh produce and other great edibles. And you may want to stick around for some of their fun events, which include concerts, book signings and cooking demonstrations.
Along elegant Royal Street, you can shop for antiques, fine jewelry, colorful works of art, high-fashion apparel and many other one-of-a-kind items you might not find anywhere else. For all you camera buffs, keep extra batteries close by. You'll need them to capture images of all the unique architecture on both sides of the street and the ornate balconies with their centuries-old wrought-iron designs.
To learn more about the fascinating history of New Orleans, it doesn't get any better than hearing it come from a well-versed tour guide aboard a Gray Line Sightseeing Tour. There are many tours to choose from. There are guided walking tours through the French Quarter and the cemeteries, as well as along Bourbon Street to hear the music that New Orleans made famous - jazz. There are also city tours that take you to other parts of town, including those worst hit by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. There are even "Pirate Tours" that take you to the haunts of the notorious Jean Lafitte and other legendary buccaneers.
Or, if you prefer to see the watery side of the city, you can board an authentic paddlewheel steamboat, the Natchez, for a cruise along the Mississippi River. The Natchez, with its three spacious decks, offers spectacular views in all directions, and you can even visit the engine room and see up close how the steam-driven pistons power the paddlewheel. Inside the boat, is a full line of amenities, including food and drinks and plenty of souvenirs to help you remember your "rollin' on the river" excursion. A dinner jazz cruise with a live Dixieland band is an unforgettable experience.
And, as the icing on the cake, there is always the pulsating, round-the-clock night life, the likes of which you won't find anywhere but on Bourbon Street. Block after block of bars and music clubs, Bourbon Street has something for nearly everyone. Jazz, blues, rock, funk, country . . . you name it, it's out there. Dance, party, cut loose and have a fun time. And why not? Everyone else is!
These are just a few of the many things you can do to have fun in the city that loves to have fun. So party hearty and enjoy your summer visit to the Big Easy.
AT A GLANCE . . .
For more complete information about these events, here is a handy list of websites you can check out:
Cajun-Zydeco Festival: http://www.jazzandheritage.org/cajun-zydeco
San Fermin Festival/Running of the Bulls: http://nolabulls.com
New Orleans Wine & Food Experience: http://www.nowfe.com
French Market: http://www.frenchmarket.org
Gray Line Tours: http://www.graylineneworleans.com
Steamboat Natchez: http://www.steamboatnatchez.com
Royal Street: http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/fq/royalstreet.html
Bourbon Street: http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/fq/bourbonstreet.html
Historic New Orleans Collection: http://www.hnoc.org
Tales of the Cocktail: http://www.talesofthecocktail.com
