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New Orleans' monthly Media Update covers the latest travel and tourism developments around town. Please email communications@neworleans.com to be added to our media mailing list.

What’s New in New Orleans Hospitality Industry – March 2020

NEW DEVELOPMENTS:

For a full list of developments, click here.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• The annual Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day Parade presented by the Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day Club will take place along Magazine Street in the Irish Channel on Saturday, March 14^th.
   
• The annual Wednesday at the Square 10-week concert series will begin on March 11^th and continue though May 13^th at Lafayette Square benefitting the Youth Leadership Council (YLC).
  • Wednesday at the Square’s music lineup features local talent, as well as local restaurant and drink vendors and an artist village.
  • Entry is free and open to the public.
• The annual Mardi Gras Indians Super Sunday will take place on Sunday, March 15^th with the most popular procession staged by the Mardi Gras Indian Council beginning at A.L. Davis Park, Washington Avenue and LaSalle Street.
  • Super Sunday is a day for the city’s Mardi Gras Indian tribes to put on their colorful suits and “strut their stuff” while marching in a procession through the streets.
  • In keeping with traditions that date back to the 19^th century, New Orleans Super Sunday is the Sunday closest to St. Joseph’s Day, March 19^th.
• The 28^th annual New Orleans Wine & Food Experience (NOWFE), a four-day ticketed event, will take place March 18^th-22^nd at various locations throughout the city.
  • The event features unique programming including grand tastings, wine dinners, parties, labs, experiences and more.  
  • Additional events include the Tournament of Roses, the NOWFE After Party and a Bubbly Burlesque Brunch.
• The 4^th annual Top Taco Fest will take place at Woldenberg Park on March 19^th for a taco extravaganza featuring 50 chefs and mixologists competing for the titles of top creative taco, top traditional taco, top creative tequila cocktail and top traditional margarita.
  • Top Taco Fest is a ticketed event. Entry allows patrons to sample unlimited tacos and signature cocktails while voting for their favorites.
• The 8^th annual BUKU Music + Art Project returns to Mardi Gras World on March 20^th-21^st for two days of music and art.
  • BUKU festival boasts an impressive lineup of EDM, hip-hop and various subgenres of indie rock artists.
  • Headliners for this year’s festival include Ari Lennox, Tyler, the Creator, Kaytranada, Megan Thee Stallion and many more.
• The 12^th annual New Orleans Entrepreneur Week will take place March 23^rd-27^th at the Ace Hotel, bringing a week of summits, showcases, panels, workshops and competitions to New Orleans.
   
• The 34^th annual Tennessee Williams Literary Festival returns to the French Quarter March 25^th-29^th for five days of events honoring New Orleans’ literary history.
  • Festival attendees can experience master classes, panels, theatrical events, tours and the crowd-favorite “Stella” shouting contest.  
• The 12^th annual Hogs for the Cause will welcome 90 local and regional barbecue masters and backyards chefs to the UNO Lakefront Arena Grounds, March 27^th-28^th, for a weekend of BBQ, beer and live music.
   
• The 17^th annual Saints and Sinners Literary Festival will take place March 27^th-29^th at the Hotel Monteleone bringing together the LGBT literary community to celebrate the literary arts.
  • The festival features diverse panel discussions and master classes around literary topics that provide a forum for authors, editors and publishers.
• The 14^th annual Cajun-Zydeco Festival will take place at Armstrong Park March 28^th-29^th for two days of celebrating springtime with Cajun food, dancing and Zydeco music.
   
• The Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium’s (LUMCON) is hosting Meet the Fleet, a free multiday public event featuring the flagship vessels of Louisiana’s scientific research fleet, May 8^th-10^th at Crescent Park.
  • The Research Vessel (R/V) Pelican and the R/V Acadiana, owned and operated by LUMCON, will be open to the public for tours.
  • The two vessels will form the centerpiece of the event while LUMCON scientists and education staff display hands-on activities and provide information about marine research at booths set up dockside.

For a full list of events, click here.

HOTELS:

• Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants will open a new property in New Orleans, scheduled to open March 13^th. The Kimpton Hotel Fontenot will pay homage to the city’s rich musical history and the inspirational musicians behind it.
  • The 202-room hotel is located at the corner of Poydras and Tchoupitoulas Streets in the Warehouse District and will feature a signature restaurant and bar, and a corner café.
• Local hospitality group Leblanc + Smith has added The Chloe to their portfolio, a boutique-style hotel, featuring 14 rooms including a restaurant, pool, pool bar and lobby bar. The Chloe will be located Uptown on Saint Charles Avenue and is expected to open Spring 2020.
   
• The Four Seasons is currently under construction in the former World Trade Center building along the Mississippi Riverfront and is expected to open in late 2020.
  • The 34-story, mixed-use development will house a 341-key hotel on the lower floors and 81 luxury condominiums on the upper floors and two restaurants, and 22,500 square feet of meeting space.
• Virgin Hotels New Orleans will open their latest lifestyle hotel in the city’s Warehouse District located at 550 Baronne Street in 2021. The project officially broke ground in May 2019. 

RESTAURANTS:

• Antoine’s Restaurant is celebrating 180 years in business with a series of special events, menus and commemorations throughout 2020. As one of New Orleans’ culinary grand dames, Antoine’s legacy and heritage of French-Creole cuisine has stood the test of time unlike any restaurant in America.
  • Antoine’s is the birthplace of the world-famous Oysters Rockefeller, the oldest family-owned restaurant in the country and the oldest business in New Orleans.
  • Under the guidance of Executive Chef Rich Lee and fifth generation CEO Rick Blount – the great, great grandson of founder Antoine Alciatore – 2020 will be a year of commemorating traditional New Orleans cooking as well as its evolution.
• Broussard’s Restaurant & Courtyard, one of the original grande dame dining establishments in the French Quarter, is celebrating its 100^th anniversary throughout 2020. The revelry continues throughout the year with specialty menus, drinks and special events.

NEW DIRECT FLIGHTS:

• Condor Airlines will return for its third season with flights to Frankfurt, Germany from May 23^rd – September 19^th, 2020.
• British Airways announced a sixth frequency to London in November. The Monday-Saturday service will begin on March 29^th, 2020.  

MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS:

                Meetings (3,000 or more in attendance) includes:

• Travel Goods Association’s Travel Goods Show | March 4^th-5^th
  • The Travel Goods Show is the place to learn about the latest travel industry trends. A buyer, a retailer or an industry enthusiast will learn the newest inventions, compare products and make connections with other industry leaders.
  • Projected attendance: 5,000
• Amusement and Music Operators Association’s Expo International | March 9^th-11^th
  • The 2020 Amusement Expo is the annual event for the coin-op and revenue-generating amusement, music and family entertainment industry.
  • Projected attendance: 3,500
• Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association Expo | March 11^th-14^th
  • The Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Expo is North America’s largest event dedicated to indoor-outdoor living. Patio and barbecue manufacturers and suppliers from around the world exhibit and demonstrate their latest home heating solutions.
  • Exhibitors include Acadia Hearth, Apogee Ceramics, Big Green Egg, Bad Dog Tools and many more.
  • This year’s keynote address, “Hot Profit: Optimizing Retail Space to Spark Growth in Your Sales,” will be delivered by Wayne Visbeen of Visbeen Architects.
  • The Outdoor Burn Area exhibitors will host the annual Tailgate & Big Green Egg Cook-off event.
  • Projected attendance: 9,300
• American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers’ (AFPM) International Petrochemical Conference | March 29^th-31^st
  • This conference is the largest conference representing the petrochemical industry. The meetings cover key political, economic and environmental issues that affect the industry.
  • Projected attendance: 3,000

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Media Contact
Jessica Sigmundsson
jsigmundsson@neworleans.com

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