I’ve been selling events on Bourbon Street for over twenty years, and here’s what I know for certain: a Bourbon Street Invitation gives your guests a Bourbon Street Destination. A spectacular view of the historic French Quarter, right in the mix of the madness, but not lost in the crowd. At night, the pedestrian promenade is the busiest place in the city, packed with conference attendees wandering around, seeing the sights among the neon lights. Your event is the place they land.

The Question Isn’t Whether Your Guests Will End Up on Bourbon Street

They will. Ask anyone who’s ever attended a convention in this city. Guests leave the convention center, freshen up at their hotel, maybe return a few calls before heading to the French Quarter. They will stop by any obligatory events or possibly head to dinner at one of New Orleans’ fabulous restaurants. Given the choice with a slightly later invitation, Bourbon Street is where they like to save for last because it’s the most exciting destination. Most hotels are between the convention center and the Quarter. Nobody wants to walk back towards the convention center. They are in New Orleans, and the French Quarter is the crown jewel of the city.

A Bourbon Street invitation gives your guests a Bourbon Street destination among their peers. A balcony party gives your guests the best view of the historic architecture and the ever-present crowd on the pedestrian promenade. It’s the perfect way to be in the mix of the madness without being in the crowd. They’re not wandering the bars trying to decide where to go. They’re above it, taking it all in, networking at your event.

It’s a Different Side of Bourbon Street Than People Expect

I’ve watched hundreds of corporate groups discover a side of Bourbon Street they didn’t expect when they walked in. There’s a difference between being in the crowd and being above it, looking out over the French Quarter with a drink in hand. Our guests have a blast watching the people on the street and seeing the city from a different perspective. Tossing beads from a Bourbon Street balcony is a quintessential New Orleans experience. Your guests talk about your event the next day and go home saying it was the best night of the whole conference. It’s a sophisticated way to experience one of the world’s most famous streets.

Timing Matters More Than People Think

The biggest mistake I watch planners make is starting too early. Guests need that window after the convention floor to freshen up, make calls, and maybe even grab dinner at one of the city’s great restaurants. A 5pm start is almost always too early. 6 or 7 works much better, though it really depends on your attendees and what else is on their evening schedule. People are in New Orleans. They are going to stay out later than normal. It’s not uncommon for our clients to want to extend their events because they are packed at 9pm. If your guests are going to dinner, the most successful Bourbon Street event is the finale, not the opener. We have annual clients that start their events at 9pm.

What Makes Cornet the Best Balcony on the Street

If you’re searching for a French Quarter event venue, Cornet has the biggest, brightest, and best balcony on Bourbon. The balcony wraps around the corner onto St. Peter Street, which runs straight to Jackson Square. Pat O’Brien’s main entrance is down the block. Preservation Hall is directly across the street. We’re smack in the heart of the Quarter, right behind the Cathedral and the Cabildo. You can see the Cathedral’s spires from the St. Peter balcony.

People tend to stay between Bourbon and the river; that’s where the energy is. Cornet’s wraparound side overlooks St. Peter Street, so guests get foot traffic on both sides of the balcony. Other balconies that tout themselves as the largest on Bourbon don’t actually have as much of a view of Bourbon as Cornet does. Any balcony overlooking a side street away from the river isn’t the most desirable because there is no crowd to toss beads to or even people to watch. The people watching from the balcony are phenomenal. It’s not Mardi Gras and inappropriate behavior but mostly conventioneers. People are just generally fascinating. Why would balcony space be used for storage instead of guests? People watching and tossing beads to the crowd is what makes balconies so much fun.

The entire balcony at Cornet is a covered, gallery-style balcony with ceiling fans and historic gas lanterns. It’s also wide enough for tables and chairs where guests can rest a drink or sit and talk; however, most people gravitate to the railing to people-watch and toss beads to the crowd. This is an experience you can’t find anywhere else in the world, and it’s available 365 days a year, not just during Mardi Gras.

Beads Are Branding, Entertainment, and Almost No Waste

Beads are used as decor, for interactive entertainment, and as party favors. The guests love wearing the beads. Bourbon Street branding is literally priceless. It can’t be purchased. We will display your brand on the balcony during your event. We share resources with our clients that deliver the best value without compromising quality. Custom double-sided 3 x 5 flags are $35 each, and we can display 5-8 flags. We have the flagpoles and clips. Retractable banners are $95 and great to place at the entrance and around the venue. You can skip retractable banners. Your logo on our screens brands the interior for the cost of a few jump drives. You can have branding and decor in an authentic setting for a fraction of the cost of decorating a ballroom or an empty space. No delivery, set-up, or pick-up fees for furniture and decor. Why use a theme when you can have the real thing? The lower the cost of these items, the more enhancements you can offer, which provides the best possible experience for your guests.

The beads get tossed from the balcony, so at the end of the night, all you have remaining are flags and possibly retractable banners. I always suggest that clients print their flags and banners with just their name and logo, nothing date-specific, so they can reuse them at another event. Branding and decor are less than $1k. Send me a FedEx label, and I will ship the branding back to you.

We show you where to order the beads, suggest the best value, pick up your order, and have everything open and staged before you arrive. No shipping, receiving, or storage fees. We will stage your beads on the balcony, install your branding, and set up your promo items. All we want you to do is arrive, welcome your guests, and enjoy the party.

Guests immediately put the beads on and almost always know what to do with them. Other guests walk in wearing beads tossed to them by guests on the balcony. Once the beads are gone, the guests empty the centerpieces of beads. Tossing beads is addictive, and all demographics have a blast tossing them from the assistants to the executives. People manage to pick up all of the beads decorating the mantles, the bar, and the buffet. Guests frequently tell me they haven’t had this much fun in ages. The people on the street have as much fun catching the beads as the guests tossing them. It’s part of the Bourbon Street experience. Again, it’s not Mardi Gras, and people don’t behave as they do at Mardi Gras.

There really is little to no waste. People below catch the beads or pick them up as they walk past. On the rare occasion there’s anything left over, sometimes clients will take the beads to decorate their tables back at the convention center. Sometimes they set some aside before the guests arrive to have for the show. On the rare occasion that any beads are left over, they are not tossed. We will use them in centerpieces at future events, as there are one or two clients a year who do not order beads. They always regret this decision once they are on site.

We can also assist with live music like a jazz trio with brass instruments and a vocalist for the sounds of New Orleans, photo booths, both still and roaming, tarot card, bone, or stone readers, caricature artists, temporary tattoo artists, a Voodoo Priestess with gris-gris bags the guests can make on site, or a second line parade. The options are endless. We refer you to the best and most reliable vendors so you can book directly and then take over the coordination so you don’t have anything to do but enjoy hosting your guests.

We believe in providing service and making sure your guests have a truly memorable experience.

Bring Your Group to Bourbon Street

If your association, convention, or company is headed to New Orleans, a balcony event at Cornet gives your group an invitation to a Bourbon Street destination with interactive entertainment in an authentic, historic setting with a view no ballroom or venue can match.