Recreation and Entertainment

Sunday, June 10

Connecting with peers in your field is one sure avenue to success. The conference offers many opportunities to share, learn and help each other be successful, including networking activities and dinner events.

If you will be arriving in New Orleans early, you may enjoy participating in one of the optional activities planned for Sunday. Indicate your activity preference during the registration process, and we will handle the arrangements. Space is limited, so activities are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Optional Activities

Thanks to our sponsor

Golf Scramble
7:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Nestled among beautiful Louisiana cypress and oaks, PGA-certified Lakewood Golf Club is one of the South's premier golf destinations. Few courses in the world have hosted so many world-class players. Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Billy Casper, Seve Ballesteros, Miller Barber, Dick Mayer, Bill Rogers and Lee Trevino have all won championships at Lakewood.

Originally designed by “Garden School” architect Robert Bruce Harris, the 18-hole, 7,002-yard, par 72 course recently underwent a multimillion dollar renovation. Award-winning golf course architect Ron Garl preserved the character of the original while modernizing fairways, tee boxes and greens. The 18th hole, with its one-of-a-kind 444-yard "Fire in the Hole" bunker, features traps in the shape of flames set in red sand, a tribute to New Orleans firefighters.





Alternate Activity 1

New Orleans – Past, Present and Future Tour
1:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Join us for a 3-hour guided driving and walking tour of New Orleans that will introduce you to the legendary city’s storied history, its distinctive neighborhoods and its famous charm. In keeping with the city’s chronological development, the tour begins in the French Quarter, where we will pass by the French Market and stop for a stroll through an above-ground cemetery. We’ll travel down St. Charles Avenue to the American Sector, then continue on, past the historic streetcars and through the Garden District.

Because Hurricane Katrina is now a part of New Orleans’ unique history, the tour will help you understand the effects of the storm and what the city has done to rebuild and recover from Katrina. The tour guide will also explain why the older parts of the city escaped the flood waters and show no visible signs of the storm. 

Alternate Activity 2

National WWII Museum and Movie Experience
1:45 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

The National World War II Museum in New Orleans tells the story of America’s experience in the war that changed the world — why it was fought, how it was won and what it means today.

It tells this extraordinary story through photos, oral histories, ‘shared sacrifice’ wartime posters, displays of military gear and equipment, and interactive exhibits. One not-to-be-missed highlight is the museum’s powerful 4-D film, Beyond All Boundaries. Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg helped produce this unique immersive journey through the war, and it features the voice talents of Patricia Clarkson, John Goodman, Tobey Maguire, Brad Pitt, Gary Sinise, Kevin Bacon and others.

The National WWII Museum is the only U.S. museum that examines all the war’s “D-Days,” or amphibious invasions, and it pays tribute to the more than 1 million Americans who took part in those crucial missions in Europe, Africa and the Pacific.

Join us for this fascinating 3-hour excursion back into the past to one of our country’s most exceptional eras, one that continues to teach important lessons relevant to our nation today.

Welcome Reception and Dinner
5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Connect Zone in Promenade

Join your friends and colleagues Sunday evening as we officially kick off the conference. We’ll meet in the Connect Zone for a welcome reception where drinks will be served. Following our opening reception, join us for a buffet dinner. This will be a wonderful opportunity to network and meet new people.

Monday, June 11

Evening Event
6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Mardi Gras World Dinner and Dance

You can't go to New Orleans and not have a Mardi Gras party! As soon as you arrive at Mardi Gras World you'll be whisked away into the magical world of fire-breathing dragons, prancing sea horses, chariot-mounted gladiators, and hundreds of other familiar creatures and characters adorning magnificent carnival floats. Enjoy cocktails as you browse around the warehouse, and afterward we'll parade to the ballroom for dinner and dancing — New Orleans style. The gumbo and jambalaya will kick up your taste buds and then you can kick up your heels to the music of the Chee-Weez.

Tuesday, June 12

Evening Event
6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Pat O'Brien's Theme Party and Dinner

That's right — we're going to have our own private dueling piano party inspired by the legendary Pat O'Brien's French Quarter bar. The Roosevelt Hotel's Crescent City Ballroom will be transformed into a comfortable dinner club where you'll be entertained and amazed by talented performers dueling on two grand pianos. Be sure to come with requests for your favorite songs. Our Pat O's party will include a graffiti wall and a photo booth, and you can also make your own Mardi Gras mask!



Wednesday, June 13

Evening Event
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Reception on the Rooftop Pool Deck

Join us for a casual evening of cocktails and hors d'oeuvres on the beautiful pool deck area on the rooftop of the hotel.

Print Page