This is a family friendly festival held during the time of the year that usually has some of the…read moremost pleasant Fall weather New Orleans has to offer. The Swamp Fest focuses on Cajun culture through demonstrations, music, food and crafts. This recognition of Louisiana's Bayou country at the Audubon Zoo features encounters with live swamp creatures and animal feedings. Cajun crafts are available for purchase along with food vendors featuring Cajun and Louisiana style food. Along with all the activities for kids the event also offers a full selection of alcoholic beverages to keep the adults happy and dancing to the great Cajun & Zydeco music. Swamp Fest is free with Audubon Zoo admission.

It was a great visit, some parts of the zoo was closed due to construction. Every city I attend the…read morezoo is always on the list , I enjoyed it .

Review 1400! This…read moreannual fund raiser is a huge money maker for the Audubon Institute. And I can see why folks love it. Wow! That was a ton of free flowing food and drink. Seriously it seemed liked every great restaurant in the city supplied a tasting dish. Plus alcohol representatives for any kind of liquor you might want. The people watching was awesome. (Seriously wear flats and/or boots; much of the activities take place "on the lawn") The bands were really fun and made everyone dance. Good times for a good cause? Oh Yeah!

A great event at a fantastic setting. We caught a very mild night along the river and it was…read moreperfect conditions with help from yelp with popcorn, drinks and snacks. Will try to make the next one.

It was a wonderful experience for the entire family. Thanks for spreading holiday cheer for all…read morefamilies in New Orleans. Big thanks for it being free!! Its hard to spend anymore money when the kids are expecting great presents from Santa and money is already funny

IYKYK, this is the ultimate experience during Mardi Gras. You can bring in food and drink to your…read moretable, more throws and beads than you would get at 10 parades, entertainment (check who is performing before you buy your tickets), White Glove service, and front row seats to the entire Orpheus parade (well, minus a few walking krewes I'm sure). There is a small dance floor if you want to shake your tail feathers. There are taxis and Ubers are at the ready when morning comes and you need to go home.

If I could give this a 0 star I would!!!!! $175 per ticket and I thought it would be worth the…read moreprice just this once. So I went way out of my budget, sprung for tickets for myself my husband and my sister. We were all in town from California for MardiGras for my husbands 40th birthday. It was a great trip until I realized that the tickets had accidentally been left back in California. Well you would think that with assigned seats and barcodes and computers that we would still be able to get in to a party that we had already paid a premium price for. You would be wrong! We called and told that under no circumstances would they re-issue our tickets and we would have to purchase new tickets at $200 a ticket now. We could not believe how bad we were treated. Not only did they say no they wouldn't even discuss it even after I told them I could access my online receipt, pictures of my ticket, and my credit card charge. It meant nothing to the woman we spoke to on the phone. I hear the party was wonderful. But we are not the type of family that can afford $600 on top of the $525 that we already had spent. Superiorly disappointed!

I was lucky enough to score some last-minute tickets to this event, and I'm very glad I was able to…read morego. I got to try some delicious cocktails from some local specialists (I especially liked the guy from Dat Dog but please don't ask what his name was or the drink or what was in it; I have no mind for details like that). Plus the shrimp and grits were fantastic--though they were one of only 3 or 4 food options, which, for New Orleans, is a really paltry showing. It's my understanding that pre-sale tickets for this event were about $35/each, which does not seem that bad if you get 4 hours with an open bar and access to some food, but it's certainly not the most impressive thing I've seen. I really think the space was too large; perhaps they were expecting more people? There were wide swaths of unoccupied area that sort of just made it awkward for people who like to mingle and socialize. I did like that so many people got into the spirit and dressed up, that was fun to see. All in all, it doesn't seem like the kind of thing I would try to go to again, but I don't regret trying it once.

The Cat's Meow, I tell ya! This event was spectacular! I felt as if I walked into the 1920's jazz…read morevenue were prohibition was erased. I couldn't think of a better place to hold this event other than the XLIV lounge at Champions Square. It was a perfect venue for a live band, multiple seating options and a bar in the middle adorned with gorgeous chandeliers. Not sure if this venue hosts weddings, but if they do and you're a bride to be...pick this place!! As for the Kidney Foundation...Yall did an amazing job setting this up! The volunteers were nice and all were just as dolled up as the guests. A phenomenal celebration with sounds of the Yat Pack, extraordinarily crafted cocktails and excellent tastings from Parkway Bakery and Bourbon House. The coffee cocktail had at me at marshmallows! Hey yo! Bourbon House...How'd you make those shrimp and grits?! ON POINT! So good!! I will be in your restaurant soon to get some more.

I've never been to a Tales of the Cocktail event and this wasn't an official TOTC event. I SEVERELY…read moreunderestimated how awesome this event was going to be. With over 20 bartenders and snacks at the ready, I was not prepared for its awesomeness. There was a large crowd, but not so big that I couldn't get a drink easily. Oh, there's a person in front of me? I'll just go to the next table. I'm a girly drink kinda girl, so I often don't get things out of my comfort zone. I was grateful for all the friends I had at this event where we were able to share the various drinks. And they knew my tastes so they were able to point me towards some of the tables that I would like. There were so many drinks to choose from, I can't tell you what I drank. Even though some of them weren't me, I enjoyed trying them. I'm excited to do this again next year!

This event is a tiny but mighty cocktail experience, and a great way for anyone to kick off their…read morelibation heavy week schedule. By "tiny" I mean it's held in one room at the Windsor Court. There is a balcony with a fun view of the city. It also isn't jam-packed; mostly filled with locals and some early birds for Tales of the Cocktail. This kept drink lines non-existent and tall boy tables very accessible if you were double-fisted with cocktails. By "mighty" I mean there was a cornucopia of delicious craft cocktails being whipped up before your eyes by a slew of sociable bartenders and mixologists who were more than happy to talk booze with anyone who approached their table. It started at 5:30, so I was worried about not eating...No fear! Most tables had a scrumptious light bite to go with your mini cocktail from bacon potato salad to pork belly topped with pickled onions to squid ceviche. One of my favorite parts of this drinking afternoon delight was all the garnishes! From candied bacon, to roses carved out of oranges to fresh herbs to yellow watermelon grown specifically for Emily from Locally Preserved. A great takeaway was the recipes for each drink. While I'm sure the skilled bartenders have that certain je ne sais quoi when it comes to mixing and shaking, it's nice to think that maybe I could recreate these cocktails at home if I wanted. The only negative? That it doesn't last longer. ;) They literally had to sockhop-style flip the lights on and off 4 or 5 times to get the herd moving towards the elevator. I will absolutely be back next year!!

A fun krewe open to anyone. There is a ball, luncheon, balcony party and parade if you want to…read moreparticipate in all activities. Compared to a lot of krewes, this can be much cheaper. Very fun and you can select what options you want added to the parade (ball, luncheon). Every year the theme changes and the throws reflect that. The Grouper Trays are a prized throw.

Please note: Do not expose yourself at this parade. There are families with small children around…read more Police are nearby and you will be arrested and charged. You will not earn any beads and you will possibly be a felon. For some history on this parade krewe, here is the link to their website http://www.mardigrasparadeschedule.com/krewes/pontchartrain/ which provides some great information. It runs during the day, and it is great for families with kids, as they have a ton of beads they throw, as well as plenty of stuffed animals and toys. This year, it rained a bit, which was a bit of a downer. The crowds are not as unruly with this parade, which is nice. They have a ton of floats, marching bands and dance teams. It is a diverse parade, which is always nice. It runs the weekend before the big blowout weekend, so it is not as crowded. Come out and enjoy! You won't regret it.

Had so much fun but the only thing I didn't like was the no reentry policy. It was fun just…read morewatching people in their costumes. The music was awesome and staff was friendly. I would totally come back next year. The weather was great when it gets too hot and stuffy indoor.

Halloween is always one of those holidays that you kind of want to do everything but somehow always…read moreend up hobbling along Decatur like a lost zombie trying to catch the least shady cab ride that won't charge you an arm and a leg (and being said zombie, maybe you don't have one to spare). This was my first year doing a pseudo all-inclusive event, and if EDM/DJs are your thing then I definitely suggest buying a ticket for Hell's Gala. If it's not, then...this is probably not your event. Doors open at 9, show starts at 10pm. But just an FYI, that doesn't mean the main act is going on at 10pm. We got there around 11, and still had a full night of DJs, dancing, and of course, Steve Aoki. We cabbed it, so I don't have much advice in the way of parking. We splurged on VIP (around $90), which, in truth, isn't a splurge if you consider how much you would spend that night on drinks anyway (VIP comes with open bar at select bars) and getting to see the shows from the balcony. The bathrooms were also clean and the lines weren't bad at all for both the bathroom and drinks. It was also great not having to worry about the elements ruining your costume, while some girls I did worry that they might have been a tad cold considering Mardi Gras World has a great AC and they didn't have much on. ;) That being said, while there were some hooker-inspired costumes, it was no MOMs Ball. The only thing I would've done differently is worn more glow-y stuff. It makes it easier to find your friends, and looks spiffy IMO. EDM folks are going to hate me, but a lot of the DJs kind of sounded the same to me, but you can tell there is a huge Steve Aoki following. We watched from the balcony as he "caked" at least 12 different die-hard fans who relished in the fact that a giant sheet cake would be thrust into their face from less than five feet away. #nothanks #fugthat Definitely a fun and interesting experience away from Frenchmen Street, and excited to see who they have on tap for next year!