There are lots of festivals that take place throughout the Spring and early Summer. Essence Festival takes place on July 4th weekend. And Tales of the Cocktail, which attracts 20,000+ hospitality industry professionals as well as cocktail enthusiasts and fine liquor connoisseurs, takes place later in July.  

The French Quarter and Central Business District are both great places to host. The Garden District also has a few upscale hotels. It's adorable and there are so many lovely boutiques along Magazine St. It's a few miles away from the French Quarter so it's less hectic.        

In terms of sightseeing and entertainment, there are seemingly infinite live music options. Frenchman St is lined with lots of venues and there is also a cute weekend art market. The McKenna, which is a smaller museum which focuses on African diaspora art is well worth a visit. The Ogden Museum of Southern Art and the Contemporary Arts Center are right across the street from each other on Camp St, and they are great options as well. For fine dining, Doris Metropolitan and Café Amelie are my current favorites. Best of luck with planning your trip.

-- Modified on 6/13/2016 12:48:34 PM