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Q.
What is it supposed to be on the show?
A. The Festival of Tolerance.
Q.
Where is it supposed to be on the show?
A. In Bon Temps, Louisiana ?.
Q.
When did we see it on the show?
A.
In Episode 9, of Season 4, "Let's Get Out Of Here".
Fran and the Vampire League are hosting a propaganda rally called the Festival of Tolerance,
designed to help undo the damage done by the vampire King of
Mississippi (Russell Edgington) when he ripped out the heart of a
newsman on national TV.
But it doesn't quite work out that way.
What
starts out as a rather dull affair in a fancy hotel ballroom, quickly
explodes into violence, when the revenge-seeking witch, Antonia, casts
a spell on a number of vampires (including Eric), takes control of
them, and compels them to launch a bloody attack on audience.
Q.
What is it actually, in real life?
A.
A hotel ballroom - but not in Louisiana.
Q.
Where can I find it in real life?
A.
This scene was shot in the Crystal Ballroom of the historic Biltmore Hotel, at 506 South Grand Avenue, in downtown Los Angeles.
The hotel is bordered by Grand Ave on the west, Olive Street on the
east, and 5th Street on the north. (It's across Olive Street from
Pershing Square park.)
The hotel's south side faces another building (Pacific Center) and in
the alley that runs between those two buildings is the doorway where
they filmed the entrance scenes - where Eric distracts the
guards.
Here is a Google StreetView of that entrance.
The hotel was built in 1923. In 1927, the same Crystal Ballroom
hosted a luncheon of Hollywood bigwigs who drew up plans for a new
organization, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences.
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The
location: The Festival of Tolerance
 
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Legend has it that someone at the affair drew a sketch of the proposed Oscar award on
a hotel napkin. Although the first Oscars were given away at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, the Biltmore hosted the Academy Awards in 1931, 1935–39, and 1941-42.
The classic hotel has also been the filming location of quite a few movie and TV shows, including Beverly Hills Cop, Chinatown, Ghostbusters, Independence Day, A Star is Born, Splash, Spider-Man, Fight Club, The Sting, and others.
Here is a photo of the Crystal Ballroom: (note the distinctive balconies, which can be seen on the show)
Q.
How the heck did you figure out where it was?
A. Mike, of MovieShotsLA.com, tipped me to a source that led me to this particular location. (Thanks Mike!)
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