NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) has issued its First Quarter Convention Sneak Peek for 2017, including a list of CVB-booked business for the months of January, February and March.
Highlights of the fourth quarter include two major citywide meetings – the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions, which brought more than 17,000 medical professionals, as well as the 37th Annual International Workboat Show that welcomed more than 14,000 attendees in the maritime industry to New Orleans. What began as a busy quarter for tradeshows and educational opportunities will end with a bang as the year comes to a close with “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest,” which will be broadcast live from New Orleans after the ball has dropped in Times Square, as well as CNN’s live New Year’s Eve broadcast from Frenchmen Street.
The momentum continues in the first quarter of 2017 with the Allstate Sugar Bowl, featuring a Big 12/ SEC match-up between the Auburn Tigers and the Oklahoma Sooners. Shortly thereafter, the Jazz Education Network gathers for their 8th Annual Conference, featuring daily and nightly concerts (tickets available – some events are open to the public), immediately followed by two large tradeshows – Wizard World’s New Orleans Comic Con (tickets available – open to the public) and the Halloween & Party Expo. Also in January, the 2017 National Automobile Dealers Association Convention & Expo will bring more than 24,000 attendees to celebrate their 100th Anniversary in New Orleans. In addition, the Rock ‘N’ Roll Mardi Gras Marathon will celebrate 20 years in February and the NBA All-Star weekend returns to New Orleans just in time to roll right into Mardi Gras 2017. The Sun Belt Championship basketball tournament once again calls New Orleans home, and the quarter wraps with a few notable meetings, with a few smaller meetings along the way, including the BioPhysical Society’s 61st Annual Meeting with nearly 7,000 attendees and Orgill Incorporated with more than 15,000 attendees.
Kicking off the festival season in late March is New Orleans’ newest festival, the New Orleans Bourbon Festival, where attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy Bourbon, with grand tastings from the world’s finest distilleries. This inaugural festival features one of the fastest growing segments in the industry, “Women in Bourbon.”
Below is the list for January, February and March, which represents conventions that will bring in thousands of attendees and millions of dollars in economic impact to the city collectively in the first quarter:
Jan. 4-7
Jazz Education Network (JEN)
8th Annual Conference
2,500 attendees
With a home base in the United States, and members in more than 23 countries, JEN is dedicated to building the jazz arts community by advancing education, promoting performance and developing new audiences.
Jan. 6-8
Wizard World
New Orleans Comic Con
18,000 attendees
Wizard World, Inc. produces comic, gaming and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate the best in pop culture, movies, television, cosplay, comics, gaming, graphic novels, toys, sci-fi, original art, collectibles, contests and more.
Jan. 14-17
Urban Expositions
Halloween & Party Expo
6,500 attendees
The Halloween & Party Expo, the leading event for Halloween, party and celebration, is a trade-only event that brings industry professionals together each year.
Jan. 26-29
National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA)
100th Annual Convention & Expo
24,000 attendees
The NADA Convention & Expo is the world’s largest international gathering, giving franchised new-vehicle dealers the chance to meet face-to-face with major automakers, attend dozens of workshops with the industry’s best trainers, and network with hundreds of exhibitors showcasing the latest equipment, services and technologies.
Jan. 27-30
Helen Brett Enterprises, Inc.
New Orleans Gift & Jewelry Show
15,000 attendees
Helen Brett Enterprises, Inc. is a full-service trade show production and management company that currently conducts quarterly gift and jewelry shows in New Orleans. Qualified buyers only.
Feb. 4-5
Competitor Group, Inc.
Rock 'N' Roll Mardi Gras Marathon
20,000 attendees
What started as a simple idea in 1998, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series has grown into one of the largest running events, raising more than $310 million for participating charities.
Feb. 17-19
National Basketball Association (NBA)
The NBA All-Star Weekend
The NBA All-Star Game is a basketball exhibition game hosted annually by the NBA, matching the league's star players from the Eastern Conference against their counterparts from the Western Conference.
Feb. 11-15
Biophysical Society
61st Annual Meeting
6,800 attendees
As science becomes increasingly interdisciplinary, the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting continues its long-held reputation for bringing together leading scientists from the all over the world who work at the interface of the life, physical and computational sciences.
Feb. 16-18
Orgill, Incorporated
Orgill Dealer Market Expanded meeting
15,000 attendees
Orgill, Inc. is the world's largest independently owned hardlines distributor providing retailers across North America and in more than 60 countries throughout the world access to more than 75,000 products and industry-leading retail services.
March 2-5
World System Builder (WSB)
WSB Convention
30,000 attendees
World System Builder is a financial services marketing company that is associated with World Financial Group, Inc., whose affiliates offer a broad array of financial products and services.
March 7-12
Sun Belt Championship 2017
Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championship
The 2017 Sun Belt Conference Basketball Championships features both men's and women's teams from the 12 universities that make up the Sun Belt Conference. 2017 will be the first year that all member schools will bring both their men’s and women’s basketball programs to New Orleans for the tournament.
March 11-12
Worldwide Spirit Association (WSA)
WSA National Competition
20,000 attendees
WSA is one of the leading companies in the cheer and dance industry, producing competitions across the country.
March 13-17
American Physical Society (APS)
Annual March Meeting
6,500 attendees
The APS Annual March Meeting will bring together physicists, scientists and students from all over the world to share groundbreaking research from industry, universities and major labs.
March 19-22
Nationwide Marketing Group
Nationwide Prime Time
3,500 attendees
With more than 3,500 members operating more than 10,000 store fronts and $15 billion in combined annual sales, Nationwide Marketing Group is North America’s largest buying and marketing organization and works beside thousands of appliance, furniture, electronics, specialty electronics, custom installation and rent to own dealers helping them grow their businesses and their bottom lines.
March 24-26
New Orleans Bourbon Festival
3,000 attendees
The New Orleans Bourbon Festival’s mission is to provide attendees with an opportunity to enjoy exceptional Bourbon and cuisine surrounded by the charm and culture of New Orleans.
