January 7, 2024
The ARA Show™ 2024 will mark the 10th time the show has been held in New Orleans. While that means it’s likely many show attendees and exhibitors are familiar with the Big Easy, the city continues to evolve and offer new excitement, sounds and flavors for everyone.
To help those attending the show enjoy their time in New Orleans, a special website has been created for The ARA Show by New Orleans & Company to showcase the city and everything it offers. Find this site at ARAshow.org/explore.
Restaurants
More than 1,400 restaurants can be found in New Orleans offering cultural favorites of gumbo, jambalaya, fresh seafood, red beans and rice, sweet treats and much more. The New Orleans restaurant scene was back on track in 2022 with new restaurant openings and pop-ups finding permanent locations. 2023 was even bigger according to New Orleans & Company.
New restaurants that opened in 2023 and will be waiting for those attending The ARA Show include Beggar’s Banquet, which offers unique seafood dishes; Chapter IV, a new offering for breakfast, brunch and lunch delights; Chinese Kitchen Club, showcasing unique American Chinese offerings; Dahla, providing contemporary Thai cuisine; and Devil Moon BBQ, where you’ll find a finger-licking menu of traditions from Southern Louisiana, Texas and the Carolinas.
Nightlife
As the sun goes down, New Orleans starts to come alive. While Bourbon Street is well known, nightlife in New Orleans also offers music and jazz clubs, music throughout Frenchmen Street, casinos, Cajun dancing, late-night restaurants, sports bars and more.
Night tours also are a popular experience in New Orleans. Tours include Haunted History Tours, Ghost Tours, New Orleans Secrets, New Orleans Crawling and many other favorites.
Shopping
For those who want to bring home a piece of New Orleans, shopping is limitless throughout the city. Next to the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, where the show will take place, is The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk. It offers more than 75 retailers and restaurants on the bank of the Mississippi River.
Shops also can be found in the French Quarter, Magazine Street, Royal Street and more. The rich history of New Orleans also opens up shopping for antiques, art, music and vinyl, jewelry, voodoo, and Mardi Gras beads and supplies.
Mardi Gras
Speaking of Mardi Gras, the festival will conclude in the week prior to The ARA Show. Mardi Gras Day, as it is known in New Orleans, is on Tuesday, Feb. 13. Head to the Big Easy a few days early to experience the world-famous festival.
From the French Market and the St. Louis Cathedral to Café Du Monde and The National WWII Museum, New Orleans is full of fun, food and drinks, and history for all attendees and exhibitors at The ARA Show. Register now at ARAshow.org.
