6oth Anniversary The Carousel Bar

This is the week we celebrate the 60th anniversary of everybody’s favorite bar in New Orleans, The Hotel Monteleone’s Carousel Bar.

The Carousel Bar overlooks famous Royal Street through large fan windows and has long been a favorite of both locals and tourists. Originally installed in 1949, it is the only bar in New Orleans that revolves around the room.

The 25-seat carousel bar turns on 2,000 large steel rollers, pulled by a chain powered by a one-quarter horsepower motor. Visitors who have imbibed for a while often claim that the bartender has turned up the motor’s speed, and while some of our bartenders seem to enjoy encouraging this rumor, the fact is that the bar always rotates at the same speed.

In the early days of the Carousel Bar, the hotel was the home to the famous Swan Room, a nightclub where Liberace both performed and gathered with his friends.

William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams, Truman Capote and Winston Grooms (Forrest Gump) are among the famous authors who have enjoyed drinks at the Carousel Bar. Today, the Carousel still attracts celebrities, including some recent sightings – Michael Jordan, Dennis Quaid, Greg Allman and Sally Struthers.

For the last 60 years The Carousel Bar has had a great run, and Thursday night we’ll be celebrating the beginning of the next 60 years with a grand party, and a competition to name the NEW Monteleone Cocktail.We hope you’ll join us in this celebration of a fabulous New Orleans landmark.