NEW ORLEANS – The City Park Conservancy annual event Celebration in the Oaks will return this holiday season with expanded displays and enhanced attractions throughout New Orleans City Park. The month-long festival, which draws more than 135,000 visitors each year, features more than one million lights illuminating the park’s historic live oaks and hundreds of seasonal installations.
City Park Conservancy President and CEO Rebecca Dietz said the organization prioritized accessibility and improvements without increasing ticket prices.
“Celebration in the Oaks contributes greatly to the park’s financial stability, but it is also something that should be enjoyed by everyone — across neighborhoods, generations, and traditions,” Dietz said. “We’ve made it a priority to determine how we can improve the event while still making it accessible for the community. The result, we feel, will be something special.”
New Attractions and Enhancements
New this year are 12-foot angels greeting visitors at the Walking Tour entrances at Carousel Gardens Amusement Park and the Oscar J. Tolmas Visitor Center. Trees along Ansemen Avenue and the Goldring/Woldenberg Great Lawn will also feature new lighting.
The Holiday Express presented by Ochsner Children’s and the New Orleans Botanical Garden will showcase upgraded exhibits, including native-bird features and a new “Heart of the Garden” lighting installation highlighting the iconic dripping oak.
“We have even more in store, but we’re saving some of our most magical moments as a surprise for guests in attendance,” Dietz said.
Ticket Options and Special Events
City Park Conservancy is offering several ways for guests to experience Celebration in the Oaks this season, with returning favorites, new enhancements, and special pricing opportunities.
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Dates | Nov. 28, 2025 – Jan. 1, 2026 (closed Mondays, Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Eve) |
| Bike Week | Dec. 1–4 |
| Value Nights | Nov. 30 Dec. 9–11 Dec. 16–17 Jan. 1 |
| Driving Tour Entrance | 4 Friederichs Ave., New Orleans, LA 70124 |
| Walking Tour Entrance | 7 Victory Ave., New Orleans, LA 70124 |
| Tickets | For pricing, schedule details, and ticket purchases, visit CelebrationInTheOaks.com. City Park events are cashless; credit, debit, or digital payments are required. |
Economic Impact
Celebration in the Oaks provides nearly 10% of City Park Conservancy’s annual operating budget, supporting maintenance and improvement projects across the 1,300-acre park. The event’s revenue helps ensure the park remains a “vibrant center for recreation, education, culture, and community,” the organization said.
Celebration in the Oaks Sponsors
Major sponsors include Ochsner Children’s, Fire on the Bayou, FOX8, La Calle 98.9, Magic 101.9, The Times-Picayune | NOLA.com, Bank of America, the Burkart-Lacey families, Hahn Enterprises, Hancock Whitney, Pelican Publishing, WRSTBND, Bryan Subaru, Coca-Cola United Bottling Company, the Duplantier family, Gayle and Tom Benson Charitable Foundation, Grayson Data Services, Henderson Hutter Group, Lakeside Shopping Center, Louisiana Blue, and Wheel Fun Rentals.
About City Park Conservancy
City Park Conservancy is the 501(c)3 that operates the day-to-day care of City Park, in partnership with the City Park Improvement Association, and oversees programming, fundraising, and membership management of the 1,300-acre Park. For over 170 years, City Park has provided access to abundant natural and cultural resources to residents of the region and visitors from around the world.
The Park’s 1,300 acres make it one of the largest urban parks in the United States. City Park is a popular place to fish on the bayou, picnic, experience safe outdoor play, or engage in athletic pursuits – as evidenced by more than 3.2 million unique visits each year. The Park’s annual operating budget is largely derived from self-generated activities, often weather dependent. To learn more about the Park and to contribute to help maintain its greenspaces and community programs, visit NewOrleansCityPark.org.
