The Upcoming Event – Business in New Orleans

Exciting Collaboration in the Works for New Orleans

Cheryl Landrieu, Jon Atkinson, and Walter Isaacson are buzzing with excitement about their upcoming collaboration, and the enthusiasm is contagious. They are working towards a shared goal of merging the New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW) and the New Orleans Book Festival to create a new festival of ideas that mirrors the success of Austin’s South by Southwest (SXSW) festival.

Having personally experienced the magnitude of SXSW during a trip to Austin last year, I witnessed how the festival completely transforms the city. The economic impact of SXSW on Austin in 2023 was an impressive 0 million, with nearly 11,500 hotel rooms booked. Despite setbacks due to the pandemic, SXSW returned in full force this year, surpassing its pre-pandemic economic impact.

In addition to its success in Austin, SXSW expanded internationally with the launch of SXSW Sydney in Australia last year. The festival featured big names like Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts, and Chance the Rapper, along with a major esports tournament and a music festival boasting over 300 performances.

While New Orleans’ Carnival season continues to dominate with an economic impact of over 1 million, the potential of hosting a festival on the scale of SXSW post-Mardi Gras is promising for the city’s economy.

The collaboration between NOEW, the New Orleans Book Festival, and the 3rd Coast Venture Summit signifies positive developments for the region, leveraging its unique cultural strengths. New Orleans offers a distinctive cultural experience unlike anywhere else in the world, making this collaboration a significant opportunity for the city’s growth.

As we look forward to seeing this momentum continue, let’s celebrate the potential of this exciting partnership.

Thank you for reading.

– Kimberley Singletary, Editor
Email: Kimberley@BizNewOrleans.com