| DETAILS | SCHEDULE | ROUNDTABLES | FOOD |
THANK YOU FOR COMING TO THIHS PAGE AND COMING TO THE RETREAT. THESE PAGES WILL REMAIN LIVE AT LEAST THROUGH THE END OF JUNE AS A RESOURCE.
- VAX AND MASK
- SESSIONS & ACTIVITIES
- GETTING AROUND NOLA
- LODGING & PACKING
- RETREAT GOOGLE MAP
- THANK OUR SPONSORS, DONORS, AND TEAM MEMBERS
VAX & MASK: PANDEMIC PRECAUTIONS
Although all cities in the U.S. have loosened or dropped mask and vaccination mandates, we need to stay vigilant and respect each other’s concerns. At registration, please share proof of full Covid vaccination (card or photo on your device) as defined by the CDC or your originating country. Please wear a mask during all NAPAMA sessions held at the Hilton. We will have a small supply of masks at registration. We all want hugs but ask that you be sensitive to those who may only be comfortable at this time with air high fives or a hearty fist bump.
Current New Orleans Policies
Current New Orleans Statistics
SESSIONS AND ACTIVITIES
No Sales Zone
The Retreat is designated as a “No Sales Zone” so that all can enjoy our time together networking and getting to know each other without the pressures of a booking conference.
Registration
Your first stop for the Retreat will be the registration table inside the Fleur de Lis Ballroom on the 2nd floor of the Hilton New Orleans St. Charles Avenue. Please be ready to show your vaccination certificate. We will also have your name tag, packets, some Mardi Gras beads, and a mask if you need one.
- Sunday, 12:30-5:00 p.m.
- Monday, 8:00 a.m.-12:00 noon
- Tuesday, 8:00-10:00 a.m.
Roundtables
We have a variety of topics led by colleagues and special guests taking place on Monday and Tuesday You will have the opportunity to attend up to four across the two days and will do a wrap up after lunch of that day’s sessions. A printed schedule will be provided in your packet.
Speed Meets
Near the top on Sunday, we will randomly gather in small groups for you to meet each other face-to-face. We will mix it up here and there, giving you a chance to connect and reconnect with as many colleague as possible to kick off our limited time together. Then it’s time to head out for dinner on your own, maybe with some new colleagues you just met.
Fab or Fizzle Moments
Drop your business card off at registration. Throughout our time together, we will pull a card and ask that person to give a quick two-minute elevator description of something that has been highly successful in your work or something that went wrong and how you turned it into a learning experience. Be ready!
Dine-Arounds and Other Restaurants
We have curated a list of restaurants for colleagues to join each other in small groups on Monday evening. For the dine-arounds, there will be sign-up sheets at registration starting on Sunday. Also check out the Retreat Google Map for any other night you will be in town with over 40 suggestions as recommended by six people familiar with New Orleans offerings. The restaurant list is also available as a downloadable spreadsheet.
People who sign up for a Monday dine-around should meet their hosts in the Hilton lobby at 6:00 p.m. or as noted on the sign-up sheet.
NOLA Explorations
On our Retreat Google Map, we have a wide variety of suggested sights to see and experience before, during, or after the Retreat. One of our open times will be on Monday from 2:00-6:00 p.m. For excursions with volunteer hosts, sign-up sheets will be available starting at Sunday’s registration. Another place to look online is New Orleans & Company, NOLA’s convention office, as well as the guide in your Retreat packets.
People who sign up for an excursion should meet their host in the Hilton lobby at the time stated on the sheet.
Late Nights
On Sunday and Monday nights of the Retreat starting at 11:00 p.m., everyone is welcome to join their colleagues at Voodoo Two, just one block behind the Hilton. Open until 2:00 a.m., their slogan fits us to a tee: “Relax. Refresh. Renew. At Voodoo Two.” David Wannen, Ananda Bena-Weber, and Mister MOJO will be your hosts.
Breakfast Special Topics and Kindred Spirits
Each morning, a hot buffet breakfast will be served. On Monday, we will have tables designated for three groups of Kindred Spirits: Agents and Managers, Artists, and Presenters/Consultants/Other. During Tuesday morning’s breakfast, tables will be marked for any special topics attendees may have voiced during the Retreat, so make your interests known. There will also be undesignated tables for general chat.
Class Photo
A Retreat tradition, please don’t miss the class photo after lunch on Monday in the St. Charles Ballroom. We will space a few feet apart so that we can briefly drop our masks, exposing our broad smiles for posterity.
Attendee List
Here is a PDF of those attending as of May 17 (REVISED). Any updates to the list, including any corrections you would like to make when you register, will be noted. The updated list will be available here by Thursday, May 19.
Free Time
The time is yours to design, selecting those things that you find most helpful. Each day has no more than six hours of sessions with the rest of the time designed to allow for things like explorations in a group or on your own, dining suggestions, late night gatherings, or some quiet time alone. For your free time before, during, or after the Retreat, check the suggestions on the Retreat Google Map with specially-curated lists of attractions, restaurants, and venues.
GETTING AROUND NOLA
The Retreat Google Map
Here is our Retreat Google Map, specially curated just for us. With hundreds of restaurants, activities, and attractions in the Big Easy, a team of six has whittled this down for you. For complete details on the map, look for the black circle “I” pinned right off the edge of the heart of the city, on Lake Pontchartrain. This map is best viewed through this link in a web browser either on a computer or mobile device
Ground Transportation From the Airport
The hotel is approximately 25-35 minutes from the Louis Armstrong International Airport (MSY), depending on the day and traffic, as in any city. A variety of services for ground transportation at MSY from Uber and Lyft to taxis to shuttle buses is available. Although not marked particularly well, the designated area for Uber and Lyft pick up is a very short walk, immediately outside baggage claim. Here is specific information and and services for Uber and Lyft at MSY. Taxis will cost a flat rate of $36 at anytime, and it depends on Uber/Lyft premium times and vehicle type if one is cheaper than the other. If you would like to share a ride from the airport, post your arrival information on the NAPAMA Members Facebook Page or email our Retreat Director.
Taxi, Uber/Lyft, or Car?
Due to the high cost to park in New Orleans—generally around $45-50 a night—and the scarcity of parking in some areas, we do not recommend renting a car or driving to New Orleans. Instead, arrive by air, train, or bus and utilize other more cost-efficient options readily available.
Uber and Lyft work much the same in NOLA as anywhere else. Uber and Lyft are generally about the same cost of a taxi, depending on the route, time of day, and demand.
In town, you can often find a taxi stand at major hotels and attractions, by calling ahead, or hailing one on a busy street. However, taxis may be difficult to find in less crowded areas and quieter nights, including AT the Hilton St. Charles. So, it is best to use Uber/Lyft, call the taxi company, or ask a restaurant, hotel, or lounge server to call one for you.
Train and Bus to New Orleans
Amtrak and a variety of bus lines such as Greyhound and MegaBus service the New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal. The beautiful expansive station is a 5-minute ride or 17-minute walk to our hotel, the Hilton St. Charles Avenue
Streetcar and Bus in Orleans Parish
A fun, easy, and inexpensive way to get around NOLA is via the world-famous, historic New Orleans Streetcar system. Passing many historical sites, including just in front of our host hotel, hop on and off this still integral part of New Orleans’ everyday life for locals and tourists alike. All the information about streetcar and bus routes, along with how to pay for your ride, is available from the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority.
Some Local Rules and Laws
- Most bars on Bourbon street are open until 2 or 3:00 a.m. with bars elsewhere usually closing earlier, longer on weekends.
- Marijuana use is not legal.
- Smoking is not allowed inside businesses, including bars and restaurants.
- Open carry of alcohol is permitted in plastic containers or go-cups, no glass bottles.
- Plastic grocery bags remain free.
- Baring breasts in public remains illegal.
- Carnival will have a cruise ship n port May 15 and 16, which will impact on local businesses.
- Regarding mounted police and touching their horses? Don’t!
Alert and Aware
The area proximal to the Retreat hotel in the Central Business District (the “CBD”) is considered safe as is the short walk to the French Quarter, museum area of the Warehouse District, and the Riverwalk. But like most large cities around the world, people are advised to be completely aware of one’s surroundings, keep their possessions secure, and walk in pairs or groups, especially at night.
LODGING & PACKING
Hotel information
Hilton New Orleans/St. Charles Avenue
333 St. Charles Avenue
New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
504-378-2800
- Check-in is 3:00 p.m.
- Regular check-out is 11:00 a.m.
- Room cleaning and replenishment of room amenities available upon request
- All rooms equipped with mini-fridge and in-room safe
- Complimentary state of the art fitness center, 6th Floor (access by room key)
- Complimentary Business Center and lobby library
- Complimentary Wi-Fi throughout all guest and meeting rooms
- The entire hotel is non-smoking
- Valet Parking $45.00 (self-parking near hotel is largely unavailable)
- Service animals allowed
- On the list of Historic Hotels of America
- Home to the award-winning Luke Restaurant, also the Retreat caterer
The Hilton New Orleans St. Charles is situated directly on the historic St. Charles Avenue Streetcar line. The Hilton is located in the Central Business District, locally referred to as the “CBD,” and is just three blocks from the French Quarter. To reach the Quarter, turn left outside the main entrance of the hotel, stay on St. Charles Avenue, then cross over Canal Street.
Hilton Wi-Fi
For Hilton guests, you can use your last name and room number to login anywhere in the hotel. For those not staying at the Hilton, here’s the information for complimentary wifi:
- Network: Hilton Meetings
- Password: hilton333
Pack It
- Bring a Bag and Lanyard: We all probably have a small stash at home of conference memories. To keep it as green and cost-effective as possible, bring a lanyard or two, and we will provide both the name tag to put in it and the Mardi Gras beads to dress it all up. Also pack a conference bag—and maybe one for a colleague—and we will have a few things to put in it. It will also make for a handy tote as you shop around the city.
- Materials Online: We will provide copies of the schedule and attendance list with your registration packets. Everything else you need to know, however, will be posted here to cut down on paper and costs as much as possible. Bring your laptop or mobile device to the sessions and take advantage of the complimentary WiFi at the Hilton to check on Roundtable topics, guests, session leaders, dine-around and excursion outings, and more.
Weather and Wear
It is the perfect time to visit the Crescent City. The weather in New Orleans in mid-May averages a high around 84-86F/28-30C and low between 68-72F/20-22C, with generally lower humidity than the rest of the season. Although you may be tempted to dress in Mardi Gras style, you will be more comfortable in casual wear, so walking shorts and lighter outfits may be in order. Also pack some rain gear just in case as well as a light sweater or jacket for the air-conditioned meeting rooms and restaurants.
Closing Treat
For those of you that can stick around a bit longer on Tuesday, there will be a special tour from 2:30 to 3:00 p.m. that you are sure to enjoy. It’s a surprise gem in the Hilton that few ever get to see and will be of special interest to our colleagues. No more hints!
SPONSORS, DONORS, AND TEAM MEMBERS
We would like to send a big thank you to our sponsors who have helped make this Retreat happen. We also thank the donors who contributed to our Retreat Support Fund, making it possible for several members to attend this event. And we thank the team members who have worked over the past year in advising and advancing this event.
Take a look!
And now, roll tape ….
The NAPAMA Retreat is directed and managed by Hank Knerr, Raising Arts.
The majority of photographs and video components used to promote the Retreat have been provided by New Orleans & Co. Permissions, credits, and licenses as provided are on file.
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