Tonight, November 22, experience the official Holidays New Orleans Style Kickoff, a NOLA celebration from Thanksgiving to Twelfth Night that includes fireworks, music and the French Market Annual Tree Lighting. Produced by French Quarter Festivals, Inc and the New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation (NOTMC), The 35th Annual Holidays New Orleans Style Series of events is a curation of the city’s most celebrated traditions. “Holidays New Orleans Style will once again feature Revellion dinners, citywide holiday decorations, concerts, shopping, the annual French Market tree lighting, and the Morial New Orleans Convention Center’s ChristmasFest,” says Mark Romig, president and CEO of New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation.
“12 Days of Reveillon” will be celebrated nightly in over 60 restaurants throughout the city. Four Reveillon restaurants – Antoine’s, Galatoire’s, Commander’s Palace, and Tujague’s – are more than 100 years old and feature classic Creole cuisine. Contemporary Reveillon menus will be dished out all over the city and several restaurants will also be offering B’Reveillion brunches and small plates for the holidays.
If you want to peek behind the curtain, for three weeks in December (December 9 – 24), at 8 a.m., WWL-TV will be showcasing a series of cooking demonstrations from many of New Orleans’ finest chefs, as they prepare their 2019 Reveillon menus. Special featured chefs include Tory McPhail (Commander’s Palace), Tom Wolfe (Rib Room), and Anthony Scanio (Emeril’s Delmonico).
Look forward to a whole slew of family-friendly concerts throughout December, free and open to the public. FQFI president and CEO Emily Madero said, “As a non-profit, our mission is to showcase New Orleans’ culture and heritage, and what better way than our holiday concert series! This year’s artists reflect our diversity with something for everyone to enjoy, with opera, Cajun, Latin, gospel, and jazz performances.”
Event Listings at the St. Louis Cathedral and St. Augustine Church
*Concerts at St. Louis Cathedral take place at 6 p.m. on December 2-5, 9, 11, 12, 15, 18, 19 and 22. Concerts at St. Augustine take place at 4 pm on Saturday, December 7, 14, and 21
December 2: Ellis Marsalis
December 4: St. Peter Claver Gospel Choir
December 5: Sweet Cecilia
December 7: The Nayo Jones Experience
December 9: Preservation All-Stars
December 11: José Fermin Ceballos w/ Merengue-4
December 12: Opera Creole
December 14: Audrey Ferguson
December 15: Quiana Lynell
December 18: Zulu Gospel Choir
December 19: Christmas Organ Spectacular
December 21: Loose Cattle, lead by Michael Cerveris
December 22: St. Louis Cathedral Concert Choir
On December 7 from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. enjoy Westbank’s Largest Bonfire on the New Orleans Riverfront at the Algiers Bonfire at Algiers Point Ferry Landing.
On December 14 at noon, celebrate with the Jingle on the Boulevard parade.
If you’re looking for more lowkey family-friendly holiday fun, don’t miss out on rare Holiday Home Tours and, of course, enjoy Celebration in the Oaks as often as you can throughout the season!
Holidays New Orleans Style ends on Twelfth Night, January 6, 2020, when the Krewe de Jeanne d’Arc parades in the French Quarter and Phunny Phorty Phellows board the St. Charles Avenue streetcar to herald the start of Carnival.
