Historic New Orleans Tricentennial Balloon

New Orleans, Louisiana was founded on the Mississippi River near the Gulf of Mexico in 1718 By the French Mississippi Company under the direction of Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville. It was named for Philippe II, Duke of Orleans as Regent of the Kingdom of France. Modern New Orleans is nicknamed The Crescent City and the Big Easy, and is famed for the St. Louis Cathedral, the French Quarter, Bourbon Street, Jazz music and, of course, the Mardi Gras parade and festival every February. In 2018 we celebrated the tricentennial, 300 years of history and greatness for New Orleans.