Throughout the holiday season, you can visit a wide variety of light displays and shows throughout the city. There is no better way to spread holiday cheer than admiring the twinkling lights and colorful displays in City Park, hotel lobbies, and beyond.
Celebration in the Oaks
This special, month-long lights show in City Park hosts hundreds of thousands of colorful lights and illuminated outdoor displays to showcase the holiday season in New Orleans. An annual tradition that began in the late 1980s, Celebration in the Oaks is a family-friendly event that only happens after dark.
Celebration in the Oaks – Photo by Justen Williams
Starting on Thanksgiving weekend, visitors are treated to a wide range of attractions by way of light displays. Take the 2.25-mile driving tour or walk through Carousel Gardens Amusement Park by foot to experience the lights. Perennial favorites include the animated Cajun Night Before Christmas display and the Who Dat Tree, imaginatively adorned in New Orleans Saints black and gold, and related football themes. Another favorite is New Orleans iconic snowman, Mr. Bingle, a holiday character beloved by generations of New Orleanians when he adorned the window of the old D.H. Holmes department store on Canal Street during the holiday season. Children and their parents are invited to take a two-mile ride on the miniature train that circles the park, passing underneath lit-up holiday displays and other special effects.
Celebration in the Oaks returns November 28, 2025 – January 1, 2026.
Hotel Lobbies
Many hotels in the French Quarter and CBD illuminate their lobbies with decorations– from lights and trees, to fake snow, and gingerbread houses. Thousands of lights are used to transform these spaces into a holiday dreamland. Even if you’re not staying at one of these hotels, it’s worth a visit. The Roosevelt includes a canopy of lights and an aisle of white Christmas trees, while the Ritz-Carlton has Santa’s toy shop. The Royal Sonesta has Christmas Tree Land, while the Windsor Court has one of the biggest trees in the city. Both Hotel Monteleone and Le Pavillon have various traditional decorations. Many participating hotels also offer Holiday Tea and visits from Santa, as well.
Hotel Monteleone – Photo by Justen Williams
The Omni Royal New Orleans offers a unique experience with Blitzen’s Pop Up Bar, a holiday cocktail pop-up located at Rib Room. Enjoy cocktails like the bourbon-based ‘Naughty or Spice,’ the vodka and cranberry-based ‘Sleigh Ride,’ and more, including wine and non-alcoholic options. Dress up and enjoy the festive atmosphere. Find more info here.
Greenway Supernova
Greenway Supernova is a free lights walk held on the Lafitte Greenway in Mid-City. It features installations from local artists and original art. Funds raised go toward the Greenway’s care and upcoming projects. Supernova returns December 11-13, 2025 from 5-9 p.m. (preview party on December 10).
Lagniappe
Driving around town, you’ll find holiday decorations just about anywhere. From the Christmas Tree lighting in the French Market to illuminated houses along St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans really puts on a show when it comes to dressing up for the holidays. Take a streetcar ride when the sun goes down to see it for yourself.
Celebration in the Oaks is an annual festivity consistently ranked as one of the best things to do in New Orleans during the holidays. 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. The Park, Botanical Garden, Storyland, and Carousel Gardens Amusement Park are all captured with hundreds of thousands of lights to create a winter wonderland here in the Big Easy.
Enjoy the scene of illuminated oak trees with a Driving Tour throughout the Park. Over a million lights will be scattered throughout the 2.25-mile drive to set the scene for the holiday season to come. You can also book a Walking Tour, which includes access to Carousel Gardens Amusement Park and the Botanical Garden.
Adults ages 21+ can get a sneak peek of Celebration in the Oaks at Jingle Bells & Beer.
When isCelebration in the Oaks?
Celebration in the Oaks goes on for a whole month! This season, the New Orleans holiday tradition will run from November 28, 2025 through January 1, 2026.
Where is Celebration in the Oaks?
Celebration in the Oaks is an annual holiday event in City Park. Choose from the Driving Tour or Walking Tour through the Garden. Those who arrive by private vehicles will find ample parking on-site to make seeing New Orleans Christmas lights easy. The entrance to the Driving Tour is 4 Frederichs Ave.
When did Celebration in the Oaks start?
Celebration in the Oaks started in the late 1980s at New Orleans City Park, filling the grounds with festive lights and decorations each year. The annual holiday tradition has since become a local favorite, drawing thousands of visitors to stroll through beautiful displays nestled among the Park’s historic oak trees and gardens.
Where can I find tickets to Celebration in the Oaks?
Toulouse Street and the Mississippi River
400 Toulouse Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
504 569 1401
$55.00 Adults; $26.00 Children
Go Jingling through the Crescent City
You’ll pass the famous French Quarter and learn the history of Jackson Square, home to the Cabildo and Presbytere Museums. Travel through historic neighborhoods such as Treme & Faubourg Marigny and down beautiful Esplanade Avenue as you learn about our cultures and people – both past and present! Marvel at stories of voodoo and piracy on Bayou St. John, the waterway used by Jean Lafitte and his band of pirates, as we make our way to City Park, one of the ten largest urban parks in America, which features the largest stand of mature live oaks in the world.
We’ll then make our way to the shores of Lake Pontchartrain, where you can view the longest bridge over the water in the world – the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway! You’ll also see the New Basin Canal Lighthouse that was damaged during Hurricane Katrina and then rebuilt.
Follow the path of our historic streetcars along Carrollton and St. Charles Avenue. View Tulane and Loyola Universities across from Audubon Park, home to the Audubon Zoo, one of the top five zoos in the nation. A New Orleans city tour would not be complete without viewing the homes of former kings and queens of Mardi Gras, stately mansions and the world-famous, exclusive Garden District. You’ll also enjoy a walk through the lobby of the beautifully restored Roosevelt Hotel, exquisitely decorated for the holidays!
Celebration in the Oaks
Jingling Through the Crescent Tour