It's November 2022 and the Holiday Season has just kicked off in New Orleans.
New Orleans first big weekend of the year has just taken place and the numbers are near those of pre-pandemic 2019.
Kelly Schulz with New Orleans and Company has the numbers on hotel and restaurant occupancy:
"We think there's attendance around 60-to-70-thousand people. Hotel occupancy is in the high 80% range the last time we checked," Schulz says. "And it's probably even gone up."
According to Schulz, the Bayou Classic weekend in New Orleans was a lot more than just a football game and a parade:
"It's a battle of the bands, which was sold out. It's a parade, a black business expo, and so many activities to keep people engaged and in our city, enjoying our culture for the entire weekend."
And that made the weekend of festivities especially important to the city's bottom line. Schulz described a full court press of marketing and tourist driven events to bring people to New Orleans for the Christmas Season.
"Then, of course, we have a trio of bowls, for sports fans, we also have the Sugar Bowl which is happening this year on New Years Eve," Schulz explains. "With our Papa Noel hotel rates and reveillon dinners, we actively market New Orleans as a holiday destination."
There's a lot going on to bring people to New Orleans to celebrate as the year rounds out and the excitement over a new year builds.
But this year, a new event will take to the streets of New Orleans. A parade for everyone in New Orleans to celebrate and it's for a good cause; it's The Children's Hospital New Orleans Holiday Parade.
The parade is a partnership of New Orleans and Company, the Downtown Development District and Kern Studios. The parade kicks off this Saturday, December 3rd.
The parade will feature more than 20 custom designed, holiday themed floats. The floats will include animatronic props, intelligent lighting systems, special effects and audio systems, along with traditional rider floats. The parade will also include high-flying helium balloons displayed for the first-time in New Orleans along with marching groups and bands, and of course, Santa himself with his special holiday characters.
The Children's Hospital parade will begin at the corner of Esplanade Avenue and North Peters Street. It will then roll through the French Quarter and turn onto Canal Street, making its way to Baronne Street, traveling through downtown to Julia Street and ending along St. Charles Avenue in front of Lafayette Square.
There will be a post-parade celebration with music from Rebirth Brass Band, food, and more at Lafayette Square from 1-3 p.m.