Loews New Orleans Hotel

The King of New Orleans festivals, Mardi Gras is in a category all its own. The carnival season kicks of on Epiphany (January 6th) and ends on "Fat Tuesday" at midnight, when police clear the streets and the Lenten season begins. In the meantime, get ready for parades, parties and all the king cake you can eat. Don't miss the parades of the "Super Krewes," or don your own mask and wander the streets of the French Quarter.

On the last weekend in April and the first weekend in May, New Orleans transforms into a mecca for music lovers everywhere. The JazzFest brings together the best local and international jazz, delicious local cuisine and artisans from around the world for the ultimate outdoor concert.

Celebrate the country's most interesting neighborhood in a festival of food, music and fun. Each April, the city warms up for the French Quarter Fest with three days of free entertainment, including more than 150 musical performances on fifteen stages throughout the French Quarter. Indulge at the "World's Largest Jazz Brunch" and enjoy the cuisine for which New Orleans is famous.

Sounds of soul, R&B and hip-hop fill the air at the Superdome. Catch a show on one of the main stages, empower yourself with a seminar hosted by playwrights, authors, actors and more, then stroll through the marketplace and discover a plethora of African-American art, crafts, jewelry, clothing and the best New Orleans Creole food.

Get ready for the second most flamboyant festival in New Orleans, next to Mardi Gras. Thousands of people from around the world fill the streets of the French Quarter in a festival celebrating alternative lifestyles. The best DJs from across the country work the crowds into a frenzy, day and night. Don't miss the annual parade that takes place on Sunday as participants dance through the streets dressed in costumes and masks that you have to see to believe.