In New Orleans for Tales of the Cocktail and looking for the best drinks the city has to offer? Are you a cocktail enthusiast seeking the latest in liquid innovation? Then plan now to attend State of the Art, The Museum of the American Cocktail's (MOTAC) biggest annual cocktail celebration and fundraising event, offering the connoisseur both classic cocktails and innovative drinks from local mixing masters. State of the Art 2017 begins at 6PM with a welcome cocktail and spirits seminar led by Lesley Jacobs Solmonson, Senior Editor at Chilled Magazine, Drinks Editor at Foodable, author of Gin: A Global History and the forthcoming Liqueur: A Global History, and co-author of The 12 Bottle Bar. At 7PM, the competition begins as ten of the city's best bartenders and bartending teams vie for most creative cocktail, employing independent American spirits from distilleries across the United States. Admission includes drinks and a variety of gourmet bites. Making the evening all the more special this year is the opening of two new exhibitions: The Age of Elegance — an exhibit of Victorian-era culinary and mixology artifacts, menus, and ephemera from private collections from 1859-1950, curated by Jeffrey Pogash. Shakers, Knives, and Irons — documenting the evolution of chef and bartender tattoos and featuring photographs by Romney Caruso. Both exhibitions will be on view through the end of the year. Proceeds from the event support National Food & Beverage Foundation (NatFAB), home of MOTAC, the Southern Food & Beverage Museum, and Pacific Food & Beverage Museum. Advance tickets are $35 for NatFAB and USBG members and $40 for non-members. Admission at the door, if available, is $45 for members and $50 for non-members.