Happy Holidays! Below you'll find a handy listing of fun Yuletide activities and events in the Greater New Orleans area this season.
Celebration in the Oaks
November 28 - December 30
Sunday - Thursday, 6pm - 10pm, Friday 6pm -11pm
City Park
504-483-9415
$6 per person, children under 3 freeA month long holiday show featuring millions of twinkling lights throughout the Botanical Garden and Amusement Park. This year's premier family holiday tradition will include our new ‘Very Merry Maze', Dinobration, and a spectacular dancing light show. The historic carousel and train will complete your holiday experience. Fun for all ages!
Miracle on Fulton
November 28 – December 17Periodic ‘snowfalls’, dazzling lights and decorations will transform the street into a winter wonderland! One of the city’s newest holiday traditions, “Miracle on Fulton Street” brings the magic of the season alive in true New Orleans fashion, with strolling costumed characters, musicians and singers. Visit with Santa and his reindeer, sip hot chocolate or spiced apple cider, and sample the traditional holiday menus offered by our Fulton Street restaurant partners. You’ll leave feeling jolly and filled with good cheer!
The Nutcracker
November 29 at 2pm & 7pm and November 30 at 2pmNew Orleans Ballet Theatre presents the holiday classic at Loyola’s Roussel Hall. Tickets at 504-528-3800 or http://www.nobt.org. New Orleans Ballet Theatre performs Tchaikovsky's timeless favorite, The Nutcracker, on Saturday, November 29, at 2:00 & 7:00pm and Sunday, November 30, at 2:00pm at Roussel Hall on the campus of Loyola University. Ticket prices are $30 for adults, $20 for children, students and seniors.
Reveillon Menus
Throughout the holiday season (varies by restaurant)
An old French holiday tradition that has become a citywide extravaganza of New Orleans’ finest cuisine. Four of five courses at a prix fixe dinner that allows your to sample Creole favorites and seasonal fare. Menus available at http://www.neworleansonline.com/christmas (click on "Reveillon Menus" on the top navigation bar).
Cathedral Christmas Concerts
December 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 22 & 23
6pm
St. Louis Cathedral at Jackson Square
504-522-5730
This is a Free event
Local choirs and New Orleans artists herald the season with nightly concerts of Christmas carols and gospel favorites in one of the country's most historic churches. The ecumenical celebration will make Christmas New Orleans Style one of your treasured memories.
Merriment on Magazine Street
December 1 - 24, 10am - 5pm
700 - 6100 block of Magazine St.
504-342-4435
www.magazinestreet.com
This is a Free event
Visit Magazine Street for a unique shopping experience and to find everything you will need for the holidays. Join us December 1 through the 18th to sign up for a chance to win gift certificates. Celebrate on Magazine Street Saturday, December 20, with free refreshments and entertainment Go to www.magazinestreet.com for more information.
Café Beignet Celebrates the Holidays in Musical Legends Park
December 1 - 31
8am daily
311 Bourbon Street
Musical Legends Park
Musical Legends Park celebrates New Orleans' "joie de vie". We love our music and stories as much as we love our city. Gather with locals over Café au lait and Beignets or a meal at our Café Beignet. December 6th features live music and a visit from the "Legend" in the Red Velvet Suit! 10am-noon & 1pm-3pm.
Chef's Holiday Cooking Demonstrations
December 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 20
Weekdays at 3pm, Weekends at 10am
The Shops at Canal Place & Williams-Sonoma
504-522-5730
Free
Learn the secrets of local cuisine from the chefs who make New Orleans the culinary capital of the world! Acclaimed chefs from throughout the area share their favorite recipes at free cooking demonstrations and samplings that are guaranteed to spice up your holidays. Brought to you by Williams-Sonoma and the Shops at Canal Place. Space is limited, so come early! Demos start at 3p and last about 45 minutes.
HNOC Holiday Home and Courtyard Tour
December 2 - 30
Tuesday - Saturday, 10am, 11am, 2pm, and 3pm
533 Royal St
504-523-4662
www.hnoc.org
$5 (tours only, no admission for the Shop or exhibitions)
Visit the festively decorated residence and courtyard of General and Mrs. L. Kemper Williams, founders of the Historic New Orleans Collection. Browse through The Shop at The Collection for unique gift items on your holiday list. For more information call (504).523.4662 or go to www.hnoc.org.
Holiday Tea & Tour at Longue Vue House & Gardens
December 4, 9, 11, 16, 18, 23, & 30
1:30pm - 3:30pm
7 Bamboo Rd
504-488-5488x339
www.longuevue.com, $30
A perfect prelude to the holidays! Take a tour of the decorated home, enjoy a festive tea with friends, listen to lovely holiday sounds and find your entire holiday gift needs in the Shop at Longue Vue. Reservations are required and space is limited, so reserve your seat today!
Once Upon a Cajun Christmas
December 5, downtown Houma
Christmas parade with Papa Noel, caroling, entertainment and tree lighting. (800) 688-2732
Christmas Extravaganza Arts & Crafts Expo
December 5-7
St. Tammany Parish Fair Grounds, 1304 N. Columbia St. Hundreds of craft booths, food and a Christmas village. (985) 796-5853.
Tinsel and Tonics
December 2 - 19
514 Chartres St, 504-565-8027
www.pharmacymuseum.org
The New Orleans Pharmacy Museum will be in holiday dress for the Christmas season. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places as an historic building within the Vieux Carre Historic District, the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum showcases its extensive collection and provides interpretive educational programs to present and preserve the rich history of pharmacy and healthcare in Louisiana; past and present.
Victorian Holiday Tea
Sunday, Dec 2, 9, 16, and 23 from 2-4pm.
Surrounded by the charming holiday atmosphere of The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans Lobby Lounge, guests may enjoy our traditional three-course tea service. Reservations required and handled through The Holiday Reservations Line 504-670-2828.
Vieux Carre Children's Tree
December 3
Eighth District Police Station, 334 Royal St.
504-522-5730
www.fqfi.org
This is a Free event
Share the holiday fun as children from the French Quarter Schools decorate the neighborhood tree with handmade ornaments. Christmas music adds to the festivities. Refreshments for children provided.
Beauregard-Keyes House in Holiday Trim
December 4-30, except 12/25
10am - 3pm Monday - Saturday, Close at noon on December 13, 24, 31
1113 Chartres St
$5, $4 for Students & seniors, $3 for children 6-12
Step into Christmas past for a look at the House in Venetian style trim. Dressed in greenery velvet ribbons and lace, hourly tours include the 1826 house, Frances Parkinson Keyes' doll collection, folk costumes, and fans.
Historical Characters "Louisiana Living History Project"
Dec 4 – 24, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until Christmas
11am - 3pm
504-948-0323
www.fqfi.org
Free
The Crescent City's grand history comes alive this holiday season with guests from the past. Join these guests from the past for special presentations as they re-create the local traditions and customs of earlier times. Engaging performances really bring to life the music, humor, dance, and storytelling of New Orleans' past. Each stroll begins daily at 11a inside the Hotel Monteleone. The Historical Characters will then take to the streets of the elegant French Quarter and stroll along Decatur, Royal, and Chartres streets. Each stroll will conclude at 3 p.m., where the characters will gather inside Jackson Square. Inclement weather plan - the historical characters will stroll the Riverwalk and The Shops at Canal Place. For more information about the Historical Characters please visit http://www.anewmuse.com/CHARACTERS.htm
Gingerbread Junction
December 6, 7, 13, 14
420 Julia St at Louisiana Children's Museum
504-523-1357
www.lcm.org
$30 per house which includes 4 people; for Non-Members, $7 admission is not included.
Build for memories and construct a distinctive gingerbread house at a festive workshop that is fun for the entire family. Plus, catch the holiday spirit with seasonal arts and crafts, music and more. Workshop space is limited and advance reservations are suggested. Call (504)523.1357 or visit www.lcm.org for workshop times and information.
A Bayou Christmas
December 6
Larose Regional Park, Highway 308. Evening boat parade, children's events, snowfield, music and Cajun food. (985) 693-7355.
Mile Branch Pioneer Christmas Celebration and Festival of Trees
December 6-7
Franklinton, Washington Parish Fair Grounds. Historical tours of pioneer village, Civil War living history re-enactments, food, music, displays of decorated Christmas trees and a tree auction. (985) 839-5195.
Thibodaux Christmas Parade
December 7
Thibodeaux. For more information, call (985) 446-1187.
The Papa Noel Christmas Tea Party
Saturdays, December 7 – 22, 11am and 2pm
http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/NewOrleans/Information/Calendar/Default.htm
Charge: $40.00++ (All Guests, plus tax and gratuity)
Reservations requiredHeld in On Trois, this popular holiday event includes holiday music, a creative gingerbread masterpiece, and storytelling. Children are invited to enjoy holiday hot chocolate, finger sandwiches, and cookies. Traditional tea and adult fares are also available.
Amazing Holiday Adventure at the House of Broel Mansion & Dollhouse Museum
Sundays, December 7 & 14
5:00pm - 7:00pm
2220 St. Charles Ave
504-494-2220
Adults $15, Children $10
Come join in the magical fun at House of Broel's Dollhouse Museum this holiday season! This enchanted Victorian mansion is home to an incredible array of thousands of miniatures. Savor delectable treats to thrill and
delight the young at heart of any age.
Breakfast with Santa
December 7, 14, 21,10am - 2pm
Bourbon Orleans Hotel, 717 Orleans St.
504.571.4631
$20 Adults, $12 Child (12 and Under), Children2yr & under are FreeDecember 7, 14, 21 Bring your family to have Breakfast with Santa and enjoy a wonderful breakfast buffet featuring scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, blueberry pancakes, mini waffles, donuts, muffins, hot chocolate, and more. Tickets must be purchased in advance by calling Judy at 504.571.4631. All major credit cards accepted. Pictures with Santa available.
Happy New Year! A Holiday Celebration
December 8 - January 6
Tours take place Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 10am, 11am
Hermann-Grima House - 820 St. Louis Street
504-525-5661
$10We invite you and your family to come experience the indulgences of a 19th-century New Year's celebration at the Hermann-Grima House. The beautifully restored house museum, dressed in its holiday finery awaits you. Guided tours offer a wealth of sensory delights that recall the rich traditions of New Years' days past. Cooking demonstrations using traditional holiday recipes will be held on Thursdays throughout the month of December (free with regular admission.)
DesCours Festival
Dec. 9, 6:00 pm-9:00 pm.
French Quarter and Business District, New OrleansThis event invites locals and visitors to view New Orleans' historical spaces while being transformed through the eyes of talented artists and modern designers. The discovery of hidden courtyards, walkways, sidewalks and lobby locations within the Central Business District and the French Quarter will come alive with sights, sounds and technology. This event is free and open to the public. For more information call (504) 415-8444 or visit www.descours.us.
Festival of the Bonfires
Dec. 12-14 and 24
Lutcher, Lutcher Park
(800) 367-7852
www.festivalofthebonfires.orgCajun food, music, gumbo cook-off, crafts, rides and a nightly bonfire.
Christmas Past Festival
December 13
Old Mandeville Trailhead/Farmers Market
Girod Street and Lakefront areaFestival-goers encouraged to dress for costume contest, horse and carriage rides, theatrical skits, Christmas caroling, Scrooge Scavenger hunts for kids, evening costume ball, Dickens era breakfast, lunch, dinner offerings. (985) 624-5683.
December 13
420 Julia St at Louisiana Children's Museum
504-523-1357
www.lcm.org
$7 for nonmembers, free for members
Drop in throughout the month of December to help decorate a giant gingerbread village and enjoy other holiday activities. On December 13, enjoy Winter Wonderland, a special day of gingerbread cookie decorating, story times exploring different holiday traditions, choirs singing and festive backdrops for family photos. Standard admission for all events. Please visit www.lcm.org or call 504-523-1357 for more information.
Riverboat Cruise with Santa on the Creole Queen
December 13 – 14
11:30am both days
Reservations required
$20/adult, $10/child.
Holiday music, cookies, cocoa and Santa. http://www.creolequeen.com/
Rivertown Christmas Festival
December 13
4:00 pm - 10:00 pm
(225) 346-5670
Port Allen, downtown at the leveeFood, appearance by Santa Claus, children's activities, music and fireworks.
Royal Teddy Bear Tea
December 13 – 23, 11am and 3pm, 2 seatings
Royal Sonesta Hotel, 300 Bourbon St, 504-553-2205
www.sonesta.com
Royal Teddy Bear Tea offers children and adults a whimsical afternoon celebration featuring a full tea menu, a visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus, Christmas storytelling and holiday sing-a-longs. Special treats include a keepsake cup and Royal Teddy Bear. Transformed into a magical wonderland, the Royal Sonesta will be brimming with holiday cheer and festive decorations.
Saturday, December 13, 2pm - 3pm; doors open at 1:45pm
1113 Chartres St, 504-523-7257
$5 Children and Parents
Boys and girls enjoy a Christmas tradition at the Beauregard-Keys House. Bring your doll or toy and take part in a sing-along, listen to a story in the elegant ballroom by the old-fashioned Christmas tree, see dolls "at tea" and a Victorian doll house. Parents tour house and all guests have refreshments & meet Santa Claus.
St. Lucy Festival of Lights
December 14
St. Martinville, St. Martin d'Tours Church Square. Holiday light displays, crafts, food, children's games, music, street and boat parades. (337) 394-6021.
Judith Owen & Harry Shearer's Holiday Sing-A-Long with Special Guests
Saturday, December 20, 2008, 3:00pm and 8:00pm
Contemporary Arts Center - 900 Camp St., New Orleans, 504-528-3800 (box office)
www.cacno.org
$20 general admission. $18 students & seniors. $15 CAC members.
The CAC presents actor/comedian Harry Shearer (The Simpsons, Le Show) and his wife, acclaimed singer/songwriter/humorist Judith Owen, in an evening of holiday mirth. The evening unites Christmas-lovers and Scrooges alike, in traditional and non-traditional holiday music, part performance, part sing-along. Both reverent and irreverent...a perfect seasonal kick-off.
Caroling in Jackson Square
December 21, 6pm, caroling at 7pm - 8pm
Jackson Square, 504-523-7047
www.patioplanters.org
This is a Free event
Join in a truly moving 62-year-old tradition as Jackson Square brims with candlelight faces and song-lit spirits as high as the spires of the St. Louis Cathedral. Led by Patio Planters, the Social and Garden Club of the French Quarter. Candles and song sheets provided. Gates open at 6p and caroling begins promptly at 7p. For more information, call (504)523.7047 or visit www.patioplanters.org. Free and open to the public.
French Quarter Holiday Home & Patio Tour
December 21, 2 pm - 4:30pm
Various addresses, Maps given with tickets
504-524-9595
www.patioplanters.org
$15
Savor the holiday spirit as Patio Planters, the Social and Garden Club of the Vieux Carre, present five beautiful French Quarter residences/patios dressed for the season. Features include interesting architectural styles and home furnishings as well as a variety of collections of Christmas decorations plus a visit from Papa Noel. The tour is a prelude to the highly anticipated, 62nd annual Caroling in Jackson Square later in the evening.
December 22, 1pm - 3pm
Hermann-Grima House - 820 St. Louis St
504-525-5661
www.hgghh.org
$25
19th-century culinary and visual delights await! Children bake, decorate, and enjoy old-fashioned holiday treats in the fully-restored 1830's kitchen at the Hermann-Grima House. Participants will also have a chance to explore this National Historic Landmark in all of its holiday grandeur. Come dressed to cook! Advance reservations required. For children 8 to 12 years of age.
December 22nd
2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
It’s the shortest day of the year, enjoying the charming holiday atmosphere of The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans Grand Courtyard, guests may enjoy a selection of hot chocolates and holiday cookies while listening to holiday carolers.
Reservations are not being accepted for this presentation, will be offered on a first come basis. For information please call The Holiday Reservations Line 504-670-2828.
Christmas Eve "Bonfire Adventure"
December 24, 3pm-9pm
The Lighthouse at Toulouse St and the Mississippi River
800-535-7786 / 504-569-1401
www.graylineneworleans.com
Celebrate a time honored Louisiana tradition! This adventure includes a narrated motor coach tour, a guided tour of a River Road Plantation, a "Cajun Country" dinner, and viewing the bonfires that light the way for Papa Noel (our Cajun Santa Claus). Some walking necessary. Advance guaranteed reservations required - call early.
Christmas Eve on the Steamboat Natchez
December 24
Boarding opens at 6:30pm, Sailing 7:30pm - 9:30pm
Toulouse Street and the Mississippi River - Toulouse Street Wharf, Adjacent to Jax Brewery
504-586-8777 / 800-233-2628
www.steamboatnatchez.com
Celebrate under the stars of the Mississippi River. Enjoy our Steamboat Jazz Trio, holiday décor, festive holiday buffet and a beer, wine, and select open bar. From the heart of the French Quarter, our authentic steamboat takes you back to the holidays of New Orleans in the 1800's. Reservations required.
December 24
St. Louis Cathedral
Jackson Square at Chartres St
504-525-9585
Free
Come celebrate, as we have for generations, by capping off your Christmas Eve with the pageantry of the traditional Midnight Mass. Doors open at 11:15pm. Christmas carols, with the St. Louis Cathedral Concert Choir, begin at 11:30p. Vigil Mass at 5pm on the 24th. Christmas carols with the St. Louis Cathedral Boy choir begin at 4:30p. On Christmas Day, Masses will be at 9am and 11am.
December 25, 9am & 11am
St. Louis Cathedral, Jackson Square at Chartres St
504-525-9585
Free
On Christmas Day, Masses will be held at 9am and 11am.
Christmas Day "Jingling Through the Crescent"
December 25
10am -12:30pm
Departs from the Marriott Hotel @ 555 Canal St
800-535-7786 / 504-569-1401
www.graylineneworleans.com
Give yourself a holiday treat with a fully narrated tour of New Orleans! This motor coach tour covers the French Quarter, Esplanade Avenue, City Park, Lake Pontchartrain, St Charles Avenue, and the elegant Garden District decorated for the holidays. Advance guaranteed reservation required - call early.
Creole Christmas
Friday, December 26 & Saturday, December 27
Tours start at 10:30am & 12:30pm both days
523 St. Ann St, 504-523-3939
www.friendsofthecabildo.org
$15 per person, $12 Senior, Kids, FOC members
Take a walk with the friends of the Cabildo to visit three historic houses dressed in Creole Christmas decorations, followed by the Creole Christmas Story and refreshments.
Reservations a must!
Boarding begins at 9:30pm.
Cruise the river from 10:30 pm until 12:30am.
Cost is $175.00 per person.Good food, good spirits, dancing to a renown local band "IVY", party favors, holiday menu and the very best seat in town for the community-sponsored midnight Fireworks Show. Docked in the French Quarter, our authentic steamboat and its terrific crew will start off your new year better than ever before. Reservations are required and holiday attire recommended. Click here to make secure online reservations.
December 31, 9:30am - 2:30pm; Countdown at noon
Louisiana Children's Museum - 420 Julia St
504-523-1357
www.lcm.org
$8 for nonmembers, $2 for members
The Louisiana Children's Museum's New Year's Eve Party is back! The Museum celebrates with a countdown to noon, a confetti drop and a balloon launch. Paper bag party hats, bow ties, and live music add to the festivities. Please call (504) 586-0725 ext 200 for more information or visit www.lcm.org.
A NOLA New Year's Eve
December 31, 9 pm- 12 midnight
Jackson Square in the French Quarter
985- 630-4604
This is a Free event
www.crescentcitycountdown.com
The Crescent City Countdown Club will present the traditional New Year's Eve festivities in the New Orleans French Quarter including live local music and a gumbo pot drop to launch the midnight barrage of fireworks over the mighty Mississippi River. Please call (985) 630-4604 for more information or visit www.crescentcitycountdown.com. Admission is free and begins at 9 p.m.
PRCNO Holiday Home Tour 2008
December 13 & 1410am - 4:30pm
1329 Jackson Ave, Trinity Episcopal Church
504-581-7032
www.prcno.org
$35
Tour seven of the most magnificent private homes in the Garden District at the 33rd annual Holiday Home Tour. The money raised from the tour will fund the PRC's Homeowner Assistance and Neighborhood Recovery Fund.
Recalling Reveillon Revelry
December 8 - January 6
Tours take place Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 10am, 11am, 12pm, 2pm & 3pm
Gallier House - 1132 Royal St, 504-525-5661
www.hgghh.org
$10
We invite you to come experience the warmth and extravagance of a 19th-century Christmas Reveillon at the Gallier House Museum. The Christmas Reveillon meal, still enjoyed throughout the city today, is the celebratory feast held after Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. Guided tours of the completely restored house offer a wealth of sensory delights that recall the rich traditions of the past. The Victorian splendor of the Gallier House welcomes you and your family to experience an old fashioned New Orleans' holiday celebration.
Riverview Room New Year's Eve Celebration, N.O. at its Best
December 31, 9pm - 1am
600 Decatur St, Suite 400, 4th level of Jackson Brewery
504-525-3000 / 888-236-8260
www.riverviewroom.com
$160
Celebrate the arrival of the New Year in style at the elegant Riverview Room in Jackson Brewery, the center of the city's New Year's Eve festivities! Your reserved seats for this "Times Square of the South" celebration include a full buffet dinner, premium open bar, champagne, favors, music by the Top Cats, and great views of the midnight ball drop and fireworks. All seating is reserved and sells out every year, so please call early. Cocktail attire, black tie encouraged.
