It's a huge party weekend in the Crescent City, with many businesses and private groups gathering for a bit of holiday cheer. And, serving as colorful backdrop for all that merry mixing, is a sleigh-full of fun things to do.
Dance teams travel the Jingle on The Boulevard Parade route in New Orleans East. The event is coming up Dec. 16.
New Orleans East gets on the "nice" list with a community celebration for JINGLE ON THE BOULEVARD Saturday starting at noon. The Carnival-style parade, with floats, bands and marching units, will take to the byways of the East starting at 8400 Morrison Road, and rolling up Crowder Boulevard to the lakefront. It runs right onto Hayne Boulevard, right onto Read Boulevard, and then right onto Lake Forest Boulevard, ending at the site of the former Lake Forest Plaza. Get in on the "jingle" by taking a look here.
Then Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns band will join the team for the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.
The ULL Ragin' Cajuns will hit the Caesars Superdome Saturday for the R+L CARRIERS NEW ORLEANS BOWL at 1:15 p.m. to take on the Jacksonville State Gamecocks of Alabama in gridiron action. The game is the culmination of events that include the NEW ORLEANS BOWL STEM FEST that starts at 9 a.m., where students get to experience more than 60 STEM stations, plus a ticket to the game. Tickets start at $46. Check out the bowl fun and festivities here.
Buddy the Elf curls up in the window of Gimbel's in the film 'Elf.'
Need a holiday flick fix? No problem. Faubourg Brewing Co., 3501 Jourdan Road, New Orleans, has a weekend of shows for its HOLIDAY MOVIE MARATHON, with free popcorn. Moviegoers also will be able to purchase craft brewskies, savory bites and more. The films include "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" on Friday at 6 p.m.; "The Grinch" Saturday at 11:30 a.m.; "A Christmas Story" Saturday at 1:30 p.m.; "Elf" Saturday at 3:30 p.m.; "Love Actually" Saturday at 5:30 p.m.; and "The Polar Express" Sunday at 4 p.m. Make a move to see these movies here.
A free, festive indoor seasonal celebration will take place at Divine Mercy Catholic Church, 4337 Sal Lentini Parkway in Kenner, for "LIGHT OF THE STABLE" Friday at 6:30 p.m. The concert, by John Angotti and friends, is part of the fun that includes caroling in Mercy Square, food, sweet treats, cookie decorating and crafts, plus a marketplace for music and merchandise. Check out more on the spectacular here.
People watch the premiere of "Expressions of America" at The National WWII Museum in New Orleans on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022. The new sound and light show features music, imagery and 90-foot-tall projections.
The National WWII Museum's evening illumination event will get a special spin for the holidays on Friday at 6:30 p.m. "EXPRESSIONS OF AMERICA" FAMILY NIGHT CHRISTMAS SPECIAL will feature discounted tickets (free for Louisiana students with school ID), live performances by the Victory Belles, a chance to explore the U.S. Freedom Pavilion (the one with all the planes), games and activities, plus the outdoor show itself. Tickets start at $15. The Col. Battle Barksdale Parade Ground is open 90 minutes before the show. The museum is located at 945 Magazine St. Get in on the holiday "expression" here.
Patrons shop for art and flea-market finds during the inaugural Peter & Paul Piety Market at Hotel Peter & Paul in New Orleans, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023. The Piety Market has been held at various locations around the city since its inception in 2010, said founder Cree McCree. At its new home, the market will be held on the third Sunday of the month. (Photo by Scott Threlkeld, The Times-Picayune | NOLA.com)
With time fleeting for finding the perfect gifts, a few local arts markets can help this weekend. ARTS MARKET NEW ORLEANS will be Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Marsalis Harmony Park at the corner of Claiborne and South Carrollton avenues. Look here. On the West Bank, HOMEGROWN HOLIDAYS IN OLD ALGIERS will feature a market Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Delcazal Playground, 401 Verret St., on Algiers Point. Get information here. On Sunday, the PIETY MARKET will have a holiday focus at the Hotel Peter and Paul, 2317 Burgundy St. in the Marigny, from noon to 5 p.m. There are more details here.
The Pitot House the beneficiary of the Fete du Jardin Sunday.
For some sweet competition, head over to the historic Pitot House on the banks of Bayou St. John for the GINGERBREAD PITOT HOUSE CONTEST to test your team's skills at decorating a replica of the historic home. The contest is part of the market being held at the 1800s West Indies-style home, at 1440 Moss St., on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Prizes will be awarded for most creative, most traditional and most festive — and all the supplies are provided. Tickets start at $25. Go team gingerbread here.
Music, arts and crafts, interactive Prime Time storytime and more fun will be on tap at the Helis Foundation John Scott Center Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for FAMILY FUN DAY. Families can attend the free day of activities and snacks at the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities building, 938 Lafayette St., New Orleans. Get more information on the event here.
Bill and Laurel Donkervoet sing with their children, Nathan, 8, and Caroline, 4, during the beloved 'Caroling in Jackson Square' holiday sing-along Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022, in New Orleans. The Patio Planters of the Vieux Carre sponsored the popular event, providing candles and song books for participants. The non-denominational community celebration began in 1946 as a simple gesture to bring Christmas cheer to those in the French Quarter 'who might not be having much holiday fun,' according to a 1948 Christmas Eve interview with Parker Harris, president of the Patio Planters. (Photo by Scott Threlkeld, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)
All you secret singers out there: Now's your chance. It's the annual CAROLING IN JACKSON SQUARE Sunday at 7 p.m., put on by the Patio Planters of the Vieux Carré. The yuletide musical merriment takes over the historic patch of greenspace in the French Quarter for secular and sacred singing with song sheets and candles provided to light up the night and fill the air with tunes. Gates to the square open at 6:30 p.m. Check out the musical magic here.