Little more than a nondescript collection of century-old brick mercantile warehouses, Fulton Street transformed in the mid-1980s when a portion of it was included within the boundary of the New Orleans World's Fair. Housing several popular exposition attractions, including the Italian Village, the fair provided the catalyst for a revival of the city's Warehouse District, of which Fulton Street is a part. 

Today a one-block section of Fulton Street, between Poydras and Lafayette streets, is a pedestrian-only outdoor mall. Restaurants and pubs fronting on the new Fulton Street Mall provide outdoor tables where patrons can relax, enjoy a meal and a cocktail and perhaps even enjoy one of the many special events held there, including live music concerts.