Events: Downtown NOLA Awards – Save the Date!
Mark your calendars, and join us this fall on Sept.18 for the annual Downtown NOLA Awards! The nominations are in, and now it’s up to our committee members to select the top five honorees from a veritable deluge of eligible recipients. The Downtown Development District of New Orleans holds this event each year to recognize the exceptional people, businesses and organizations that make the Downtown neighborhood the stellar community that it is today. We seek to honor those far-reaching enterprises and individuals for their innovation, creativity and capacity to inspire others to promote, support and extrapolate upon the Downtown NOLA brand.
Made up of several Downtown leaders and Downtown Development District staff members, the committee has the difficult job of selecting the 2015 honorees based upon the following five criteria. The nominee, business or organization must have established a high standard of excellence; used a new, creative approach; increased or highlighted the existing Downtown distinctions; promoted alliances between private and public enterprises; and incorporated and augmented the Downtown NOLA brand. Good luck to all those nominated, and we hope to see you in September! downtownnola.com/downtown-nola-awards
Shops: Arhaus
Recently open in the new South Market District, Arhaus will be “furnishing a better world” right here in the greater New Orleans area. Located on Girod Street, Arhaus sets a tone for the rest of the retail establishments planned for the district. The wildly successful furnishings store is dedicated to offering high-quality, handmade furniture and accents using all-natural materials like cherry wood and elm, natural stone tabletops and 100 percent organic cotton fabrics. Arhaus, like many flourishing retailers these days, also promises a commitment to the earth by employing recycled, natural resources in all of its designs. arhaus.com
Music: Essence Festival
Feel the love at the 2015 Essence Festival, being held at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome July 2-5. As always, the Essence Festival attracts an all-star lineup with performances from popular artists like Charlie Wilson, Common, Erykah Badu, Lecrae, Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Usher and many more. In addition to the music, Essence always features speakers and this year is no different with empowerment talks from personalities like Charles “DJ BamBam” Belongé, Bishop Lester Love, Anita Wilson, Reverend Al Sharpton and Deepak Chopra. essence.com/festival
Celebrations: Go 4th on the River!
Thanks to the Riverfront Marketing Group, New Orleans will be celebrating the 25th Annual Go 4th on the River! To commemorate this quarter of a century mark, the Port of New Orleans is busting out the General Roy S. Kelley fire boat that awes the crowds with its famous water show with towering sprays of red, white and blue founts at 6 p.m. Then, at 9 p.m., the free dueling barges fireworks display will light up the sky along the historic New Orleans riverfront, which will be choreographed to patriotic anthems and simulcast on Magic 101.9, WWL 870 AM, 105.3 FM and WWL.com. Join the chorus of oohs and aahs on the river! go4thontheriver.com