Festival Season in New Orleans is a wonderful time for locals. We have seemingly endless opportunities to celebrate so many different aspects of our culture with festivals that run the gamut. But sharing festivals with visitors is just as important as enjoying them for ourselves. When we share our culture, and invite tourists to learn more about it, our legacy grows ever more solidified in the hearts and minds of people worldwide. Making tourists feel welcome at our festivals allows us to invite increasing economic prosperity to our city.

We can expect half a million people for ESSENCE Festival this year July 3-6. (photo via essence.com)

New Orleans festivals are a huge draw for visitors to our city. When they come in for any one of our world-class fests, they contribute a great deal to our economy. Their dollars spent here are spent several times over by us before leaving our local economy; they help to keep many of our festivals free with their attendance; they contribute to funds for improving our schools, streets, and safety with the sales tax that they pay; and they leave as ambassadors for our city, encouraging more and more people to come to New Orleans to feel and experience the magic that they did.

Tales of the Cocktail is coming up July 16-20 in New Orleans. (photo from Kevin O’Mara on Flickr)

All of these factors will be in play at our wonderful, diverse festivals coming up like ESSENCE Festival July 3-6, Tales of the Cocktail July 16-20, Satchmo Summerfest July 31-August 1, and Southern Decadence August 27-September 1.

We are so lucky to live in a city like ours and as we gear up for the festivals this summer, keeping in mind how much value tourists bring to New Orleans can help us enjoy our popular festivals all the more. When you see a visitor at one of our festivals, give them a smile, or even a NOLA insider tip; it’s in our nature, and in the end, locals gain just as much, if not more, from a tourist’s trip to New Orleans than they do.