Our wonderful group of revelers with the Knockaz Brass Band.
Few things in life are true double-edged swords, but getting older is on that list. On the one hand, it reminds us of the fleeting nature of our youth. But on the other, it provides us with ample opportunities to commemorate our trips around the sun. Here at Clandestine, we believe that birthdays are always worth celebrating. So when one of our repeat clients asked us to plan a Jazz Fest milestone birthday celebration, we knew it had to be among the most memorable weekends of his life. Not ones to shy away from luxury, our team of New Orleans event planners pulled out all the stops for a milestone birthday for the books.
Day 1 — History
When our New Orleans-loving client and his twelve nearest and dearest touched down in the city via private jet, we were there to whisk them away to their trendy digs at the Ace Hotel where they had curated gift baskets awaiting them. Filled with all the essentials for a long weekend in New Orleans, our guests were ready to hit the town.
First, they were brought to New Orleans’ premier rooftop bar, the Hot Tin at the Pontchartrain Hotel, for a bird’s eye view of the city they’d be cavorting through all weekend. A short walk to the stately Magnolia Mansion followed. Here, they were given a private Sazerac cocktail demonstration and history lesson. After cocktails and a tour of the city’s most elegant neighborhood, the Garden District, they made their way to the historic Commander’s Palace for a convivial classic New Orleans dinner.
Day 2 — Culture
After the opulence of the Garden District, day 2 was centered around the extravagance of the French Quarter. For the quintessential New Orleans experience, our guests started their day with an uproarious hours-long Galatoire’s lunch that culminated in a brass band pick-up that led them on a pub crawl through the Quarter, ending at Pat O’Briens for their world-famous hurricanes.
As if Pat O’s dueling pianos weren’t enough, the group was then given VIP tickets to the 6 p.m. show at Preservation Hall, one of the most hallowed halls in musical history. After the sublime performance by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, they headed to the beloved French bistro Meauxbar for a late-night dinner.
Day 3 — Music
Our group sits down for dinner as the Music Box house band plays for them.
Saturday was the BIG day, a birthday celebration reserved for a very lucky few. First, we transported our guests to Jazz Fest to enjoy top-notch music, food and crafts. After a long day festing, the party wasn’t even close to over.
Two of our guests with the signature color-changing cocktail
As a party planner in New Orleans, surprises are our speciality, so we dashed our guests to The Music Box Village, a whimsical outdoor venue in a magical, offbeat, forested locale. The sunset surprise party started with a signature color-changing cocktail and a docent-led guided tour of the musical architecture. Shortly after the house band’s performance, our guests sat down for a beautiful dinner under the stars.
The magical dinner table spread
The party culminated with a special freakshow performance featuring fire breathers and sword swallowers — ensuring it would be a night none of our guests would forget. Keeping the night going, we bussed the giddy guests to the Howlin’ Wolf for some of the best live music the city has to offer. The birthday weekend may have been over, but the group would be talking about this celebration for years to come.
Our guests with the freakshow performers
As milestone event planners in New Orleans, we think all landmark birthdays should be as lavish as this one. If you’re celebrating a milestone birthday this year, contact Clandestine’s New Orleans event planning team at info@clandestine-events.com. We promise you’ll experience New Orleans in a way many people — even locals — never will. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!
