NOVEMBER
1st
Bayou Bacchanal
The original Caribbean Carnival of New Orleans! It’s back for a colorful, vibrant celebration of Caribbean culture and heritage.
9th
Tremé Creole Gumbo Festival
If you love brass bands and gumbo – or, better yet, enjoying some delicious gumbo while listening to brass bands playing live in beautiful Louis Armstrong Park – this is the event for you!
14th
LUNA Fête
Illuminated costumes, couture, and creativity take center stage, combining dynamic contemporary art and technology in a huge public art festival. Free and exciting fun for all ages.
16th
Beignet Fest
Hailed as one of the best food festivals in the south, come and join us in New Orleans’ to celebrate the city’s most iconic treat.
29th
Celebration in the Oaks
An annual holiday festivity – from Thanksgiving through the New Year, you can enjoy one of the most spectacular holiday light shows in the country!
DECEMBER
Various dates
Seasonal shows!
See “Elf” at the Saenger Theatre from December 3-8. Crescent City Stage puts on “A Christmas Carol” the first three weekend of December. New Orleans Ballet Theatre presents a traditional “Nutcracker” at the Orpheum Theater, while Marigny Opera Ballet brings back their “Jazz Nutcracker” at the Opera House.
All month
Réveillon Dinners
Réveillon is a holiday dining tradition. Dating back to the 1800s, Creole New Orleanians would feast on lavish meals following midnight mass on Christmas Eve. Restaurants across the city have adopted this tradition, offering decadent multi-course Réveillon feasts throughout the entire month of December.
7th
Children’s Hospital New Orleans Holiday Parade
Expect large, pageant-style floats with animatronics, local musicians atop the floats singing carols, helium balloons, and Santa Claus, of course!
14th and 15th
Holiday Home Tours
Every year during the holidays, New Orleanians decorate their homes in festive seasonal décor, and some open their doors for public viewing. The Preservation Resource Center’s Garden District Holiday Home Tour features a selection of private homes, live musical performances, a festive boutique, and more!
20th
NOLA ChristmasFest
An ice slide, ice skating rink, yuletide market, gingerbread village, and photos with Santa are just a few of the highlights.
Various dates
Christmas Concerts
Get into the spirit of the season with holiday concerts at St. Louis Cathedral. If you love classic holiday tunes, you won’t want to miss the Louisiana Philharmonic’s Classical Christmas or Holiday Spectacular. Lastly, you can also enjoy caroling in Jackson Square on December 22.