The Latest Happenings In The Big Easy
Now is the best time to travel to New Orleans, aka “The Big Easy,” and have tons of fun - what with the New Orleans Saints winning Super Bowl XLIV and Mardi Gras coming up. The wildest and most exciting parties in New Orleans are happening this month, so don’t be late!
The Saints' Celebration Parade
The New Orleans Saints recently headed to their first ever Super Bowl in their 43-year history and soundly beat the Indianapolis Colts 31-17. Two days later, the Saints' celebration parade began at the Superdome and ended at Blain Kern's Mardi Gras World. The entire 'Who Dat' nation seemed to be there to welcome their beloved Saints. Schools and businesses took the day off to participate in the celebrations.
The Greatest Free Show on Earth
Every year, dozens of colorful floats cruise along the streets of New Orleans and its surrounding areas to entertain tourists and locals alike. This year, the celebrations start on February 5, 2010 and go on until Mardi Gras day, February 16, 2010. You can watch what people call the “Greatest Free Show on Earth” on St. Charles Avenue or from a balcony at the Central Business District. Head to the French Quarter after the parades for wilder parties that will keep you up all day and all night.
Disney Comes to New Orleans
Disney's latest animated feature, “The Princess and the Frog,” which opened in theaters in the US last December 11, is set in New Orleans and has inspired a four-month exhibit of original artwork from the Walt Disney Studios at the New Orleans Museum of Art. The exhibition, entitled “Dreams Come True: Art of the Classic Fairy Tales from the Walt Disney Studio,” opened last November 15, and will run until March 14, 2010.
Watch “Wicked,” “Mamma Mia” and “Avenue Q” in Crescent City
If you love performance arts, you’ll be glad to know the art form is still very much alive in New Orleans. The city is home to one of the oldest opera companies in the US, world-class ballet associations, philharmonic orchestras, and numerous venues where you can catch some of the most famous Broadway productions and other performances. This year, Broadway Across America brings “Mamma Mia,” “Wicked,” and “Avenue Q” to New Orleans. Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Artsin Louis Armstrong Park will host the splendid line up of shows. Catch “Mamma Mia” on February 2-7, “Wicked” on March 24-April 11, and Avenue Q on June 8-13.