The celebratory spirit of New Orleans dictates that having a good time is high on the priority list. There’s always a reason to eat, drink and be merry, so there are dozens of unforgettable festivals in New Orleans celebrating music, food and art throughout the year.

You might think that with all the merry-making in New Orleans there’s no time for business, but post-Katrina New Orleans has actually become a hotbed of business start ups, along with the traditional business sectors of oil and gas, shipbuilding, aerospace manufacturing and of course, tourism. New Orleans is also one of the top meeting and convention destinations in the U.S., as well as being home to renowned universities and medical facilities. If you work in any of these fields, there’s a good chance you’ll find yourself in New Orleans for business at some point. When you do, be sure to join in one of these celebrations to get a true taste of the city’s vibrant culture.

Mardi Gras is the granddaddy of all New Orleans festivals that kicks off the New Orleans festival season. Fat Tuesday, the culmination of two weeks of revelry, costuming and parades, is right around the corner (February 17, 2015), but if you don’t already have hotel reservations, start planning for next year because the city’s 30,000 rooms are 95% full and the remaining ones are 30 miles away or at a premium price. The madness and merriment of Mardi Gras is definitely a bucket list experience, but not one to combine with a business trip, if for no other reason that Mardi Gras is a legal holiday in New Orleans, so it’s a time for play, not work.

Music Festivals in New Orleans

Music in New Orleans reflects the eclectic heritages that make up its population and is woven into the very fiber of the city. Genres run the gamut from traditional and contemporary jazz to rhythm and blues, funk, brass band, folk, gospel, rock, reggae, Latin, and classical. The French Quarter Festival (April 9 – 12, 2015), featuring New Orleans and Louisiana musicians, is the largest free music festival in the south. For over 40 years, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (April 24 – May 3, 2015) has showcased legendary musicians, drawing music lovers from around the world. Other notables include the Bayou Boogaloo ( May 15 – 17, 2015), Cajun Zydeco Festival (June 6 – 7, 2015), Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival (October 16 – 18, 2015) and the Voodoo Music Experience (October 30 – November 1, 2015). If you don’t hit a major music festival, head to Lafayette Square for free concerts on Wednesdays (March – June, September – November).

Food and Drink Festivals in New Orleans

If music is the fiber of the city, then food is its soul and sustenance. New Orleans’ tantalizing culinary legacy is celebrated in a number of festivals that serve up spicy favorites like gumbo, jambalaya and crawfish étoufée and distinctive sweets like bananas foster, beignets and pralines. Some favorites are the New Orleans Food & Wine Experience (May 20 – 23, 2015) and Oyster Fest (May 30 – 31, 2015). COOLinary New Orleans is an annual tradition that offers a whole month (August) of prix-fixe three-course lunche and dinner menus for special sizzling summer prices at participating restaurants.

Artistic Festivals in New Orleans

Art, theater, film and literature are all part of the artistic personality of this charismatic city, so of course, party-happy New Orleans throws assorted festivals to highlight artistic creativity. Join 16,000 white-clad art aficionados strolling the galleries of the Art District and sipping wine on Whitney White Linen Night (first Saturday in August), or peruse elegant Royal Street shops and enjoy dirty martinis and dirty rice during Dirty Linen Night (second Saturday in August). Tulane University stages several Shakespeare plays to sellout crowds during the annual Shakespeare Festival (June – July). Faux/Real, formerly known as the Fringe Festival, is a chain of wild, weird, fresh original theater events held in unusual places (November). Louisiana ranks only behind Hollywood and New York in U.S. film destinations, and the annual New Orleans Film Festival is an opportunity to see preview screenings of new releases and rub elbows with filmmakers and stars.

In addition to these much-loved annual New Orleans Festivals, there are hundreds of other art, music and food events going on throughout the year. New Orleans plays as hard as it works, so whether you’re there for fun or business, be sure to take advantage of whatever festival or event is going on during your visit. To learn more about New Orleans or plan your trip there, contact Covington Travel’s Vacation or Business Travel Advisors.

All images courtesy of New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau