WHAT TO DO IN DECEMBER IN NEW ORLEANS - NEW ORLEANS EVENTS AND FESTIVALS, DECEMBER 2025
DECEMBER 2025 IN NEW ORLEANS: event calendar
Festive events take over this month as the holiday season kicks in. Here's our round up of the month's highlights across the city of New Orleans for December 2025:
DECEMBER 2025 IN NEW ORLEANS
Celebration in the Oaks
City Park
(Through Jan 1st) From Thanksgiving through the New Year, enjoy one of the most spectacular, family-friendly holiday light displays in New Orleans and the country. Watch as the grounds of New Orleans City Park are transformed into 25 acres of dazzling lights and breathtaking, festive displays. More info
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.
6th
Algiers Bonfire & Concert
Drawing 10,000+ attendees, the Algiers Bonfire is Algiers’ largest public event and pays tribute to Louisiana’s river parish bonfire tradition. Listen to musical performances, eat food from local vendors, and shop at the holiday craft market.
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!
11th-13th
Greenway Supernova
An annual holiday lights exhibit on the Lafitte Greenway. Featuring collaborations with several artists, plus food and music, the Greenway transforms into a winter wonderland in this free-to-attend family-friendly festival.
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.
22nd
Carolling in Jackson Square
24th
Christmas Eve Bonfires on the Levee
These Christmas Eve bonfires are most commonly found in St. James Parish (county), some 30-40 miles upriver from New Orleans. As many as 100 or more bonfires may be erected in the adjoining communities of Gramercy, Lutcher and Paulina, and more may be scattered in other locations in St. James and neighboring parishes.
31st
Louisiana Children's Museum: Noon Year's Eve
A countdown to noon that culminates in an explosion of colorful confetti and bubbles. With this fun celebration, your little ones won’t bother trying to stay up till midnight.
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. SEE OUR GUIDE TO NEW ORLEANS ON STAGE FOR DECEMBER 2025
DECEMBER 2025 IN NEW ORLEANS
Celebration in the Oaks
City Park
(Through Jan 1st) From Thanksgiving through the New Year, enjoy one of the most spectacular, family-friendly holiday light displays in New Orleans and the country. Watch as the grounds of New Orleans City Park are transformed into 25 acres of dazzling lights and breathtaking, festive displays. More info
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.
6th
Algiers Bonfire & Concert
Drawing 10,000+ attendees, the Algiers Bonfire is Algiers’ largest public event and pays tribute to Louisiana’s river parish bonfire tradition. Listen to musical performances, eat food from local vendors, and shop at the holiday craft market.
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!
11th-13th
Greenway Supernova
An annual holiday lights exhibit on the Lafitte Greenway. Featuring collaborations with several artists, plus food and music, the Greenway transforms into a winter wonderland in this free-to-attend family-friendly festival.
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.
22nd
Carolling in Jackson Square
24th
Christmas Eve Bonfires on the Levee
These Christmas Eve bonfires are most commonly found in St. James Parish (county), some 30-40 miles upriver from New Orleans. As many as 100 or more bonfires may be erected in the adjoining communities of Gramercy, Lutcher and Paulina, and more may be scattered in other locations in St. James and neighboring parishes.
31st
Louisiana Children's Museum: Noon Year's Eve
A countdown to noon that culminates in an explosion of colorful confetti and bubbles. With this fun celebration, your little ones won’t bother trying to stay up till midnight.
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. SEE OUR GUIDE TO NEW ORLEANS ON STAGE FOR DECEMBER 2025