Many cities in Louisiana host their own holiday light displays and parades during the Christmas season. Follow our trail from North Louisiana all the way through the southern part of the state.
Shreveport-Bossier
Make sure you’ve set aside time for your holiday cheer for these festive events that happen in Shreveport-Bossier every Christmas. The Christmas in Roseland lights display transforms the gardens of the American Rose Center into a winter wonderland with thousands of twinkling lights. Take the kids to try something different at the Christmas on Caddo Fireworks Festival for rocking music, fireworks and pictures with Santa! BELIEVE Lights the Night! at the Shreveport Aquarium offers a unique, interactive holiday experience where your magic motion-activated wand turns on lights, makes music, lights a fireplace, creates reindeer footprints, jingles bells and more as you meander through the aquarium to find Snow Mermaids
Monroe & West Monroe
It’s a busy holiday schedule in Monroe-West Monroe area! See special holiday decorations and check out the exhibits at the Biedenharn Museum & Gardens. Participate in the Christmas on the River 5K (or just watch from the sidelines in your best holiday getup), then gaze at the Christmas on the River Fireworks. Of course, there's always great shopping at antique stores, boutiques and more along West Monroe’s Antique Alley.
Natchitoches
The Annual Christmas Festival in historic Natchitoches is a must-see with 300,000 lights illuminating downtown Natchitoches and over 100 lighted set pieces along Cane River! The event is a magical backdrop for the spectacular Saturday evening fireworks, entertainment, food vendors, shopping, and more. You can explore the Landmark Historic District via an evening horse and carriage ride to experience the charm of Natchitoches, named one of “America's 25 Most Festive Christmas Towns.”
Alexandria & Pineville
Located in the “Heart of Louisiana”, Alexandria and Pineville area great areas to catch the holiday fever. Pop in to the Alex Winter Fête and warm up at the Gumbo Cookoff, then get a taste of even more local eats from food vendors. That perfect holiday gift or souvenir is waiting for you from retail vendors. Finish the weekend at the Alexandria Christmas Parade. Ever heard of a Holiday Light Safari? The holiday spirit is alive and well in Central Louisiana!
Lake Charles & Sulphur
Southwest Louisiana knows how to get in the Christmas spirit with all sorts of holiday events. With parades, concerts, food, and Santa Claus, it is the place to be to enjoy the most wonderful time of the year. The City of Lake Charles presents the Light Up the Lake Christmas Festival to celebrate the season, complete with music and fireworks over the lake, and a lighted Christmas Boat Parade! Everyone will delight at the Winter Wonderland Snow Village display at 1911 City Hall, and Sulphur's Balloon Parade and Moss Bluff Christmas street parade for families to enjoy.
Lafayette
The heart of Cajun & Creole Country, Lafayette is transformed into a Winter Wonderland throughout the months of November and December with a Cajun and Creole Christmas. From light shows to parades, tour of homes, performances, carolers and much more you can be sure to find something to get the family in the holiday spirit.
St. Mary Parish
The perfect place to celebrate your Louisiana Holiday Adventure is in St. Mary Parish among cypress trees and moss-draped live oaks. Located 90 minutes or less from New Orleans, Baton Rouge or Lafayette, visit the Cajun Coast and immerse yourself in what National Geographic called a "hauntingly beautiful land". Christmas parades, lighting trails and shopping await you.
Baton Rouge
There’s no better place to celebrate the holiday season than in Baton Rouge, where holiday cheer meets Southern hospitality. Kick off the holiday season at the Festival of Lights, where the lighting of the tree in the Town Square marks the beginning of the season. Baton Rouge is especially magical during the holidays, thanks to the light displays found throughout the city. Seasonal traditions, such as the downtown Christmas parade and ice skating at the Raising Cane’s River Center, contribute to the magic and bring joy to the entire family.
New Orleans
The Holiday Season is one of the most wonderful times of the year in New Orleans with unique traditions, heart-warming special events, and dazzling decorations around every cobblestoned corner. Even the streetcars and steamboats are decked out for the holidays. Oh what fun they are to ride! Another spectacular yule time site is Candlelight Caroling in Jackson Square. Come gather in front of America’s oldest Cathedral and sing beloved holiday songs with amateurs and professionals alike. A must-see experience is Celebration in the Oaks in City Park. Hop a train with your loved ones and experience 25 acres of holiday displays and 600-year-old live oak trees dripping in lights and Spanish Moss. Are you a Saints’ fan? Don’t miss the “Who Dat” tree. A truly unique highlight of the holiday season every year near New Orleans is Christmas Eve Bonfires on the Levee built to guide Papa Noël (Santa Claus).
Mandeville & Covington
Whether you're craving an old-fashioned Christmas with Santa, the sweet sounds of a holiday concert or a dazzling display of twinkling lights The Northshore, St. Tammany Parish has plenty of ways to celebrate the Holiday Season, just 40 minutes from New Orleans' French Quarter.
Holidays provide opportunities for families to create special and memorable moments. Visiting Louisiana for the holidays will leave amazing and lasting impressions.