This year has been unlike any other.
It started in tragedy with the horrific Bourbon Street attack on New Year’s morning. We continue to mourn the loss of life. In the aftermath of the attack, our city and residents stood strong and showed that no act of evil will deter us.
We then pulled off a successful Allstate Sugar Bowl. A few weeks later, we experienced the biggest snowstorm in our history with a record 10 inches of snowfall, even as we welcomed one of our biggest customers, the National Automobile Dealers Association. Then came Super Bowl LIX, our 11th time hosting, where New Orleans was declared the real winner. All of this was then followed by an incredible Mardi Gras, spring festival season and many new events to drive summer business.
As 2025 comes to a close, let’s not forget how special the holiday season is in New Orleans. From Thanksgiving and Bayou Classic festivities to Christmas in the Oaks and Réveillon dinners, to celebrating New Year’s Eve, New Orleans provides countless opportunities to create memories.
A fall staple in New Orleans since 1974, the Bayou Classic in New Orleans between Southern University and Grambling University has turned into a weeklong celebration of two Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and an annual reunion for thousands of alumni and family.
The 52nd Annual Bayou Classic Football Game kicks off at 1p.m. on Saturday, November 29 at the Caesars Superdome. The Grambling “Marching Tigers” and the Southern “Human Jukebox” will again compete in a “Battle of the Bands” event held in the Superdome the night before the game.
While the game and Battle of the Bands are ticketed events, free events include a parade Downtown on Thanksgiving day that starts at the Caesars Superdome and proceeds down Poydras and Canal streets. There is also a Fan Festival at Champions Square prior to the game on Saturday starting at 9 a.m.
For the ultimate guide to Bayou Classic weekend, visit our website neworleans.com/events/holidays-seasonal/ultimate-guide-to-bayou-classic.
Bayou Classic also leads into the holiday season, and there is no better place to celebrate the holidays than New Orleans.
What makes the holidays in New Orleans so unique? Whether it’s longstanding traditions like Réveillon dinners and Celebrations in the Oaks or newfound traditions like NOLA ChristmasFest, there is fun for all ages. Great weather mixed with countless activities make New Orleans a must-visit destination for the holiday season.
Réveillon dinners, a New Orleans tradition dating back to the 19th century, continues at some of the best restaurants throughout the city starting December 1. For a list of participating restaurants and special menus, visit holiday.neworleans.com/food-and-drink/.
Tickets are available now for this year’s Nola ChristmasFest at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center from December 20-29, and Celebration in the Oaks at City Park from November 28-January 1. Also mark your calendars for December 6, when the Manning Family Children’s Hospital New Orleans Holiday Parade will roll through the French Quarter and Downtown. And don’t forget about Caroling in Jackson Square on Sunday, December 21.
On our end, the New Orleans & Company team has been busy developing a similar marketing strategy to our summer COOLinary campaign by targeting the regional market, with ads being placed within a 150-mile drive radius — expanding the previous footprint that extended from New Orleans to Baton Rouge — as well as using incentivized hotel booking engines. We will also be sponsoring the New Year’s ball drop on New Year’s Eve.
January 1 will be an emotional day for many as we remember the lives lost from the Bourbon Street attack; however, we have the opportunity to show how far we have come by doing what we do best, host, as we welcome thousands of football fans from around the country for a College Football Playoff Sugar Bowl at the Caesars Superdome.
At New Orleans & Company, it’s our job to market our city’s world-class restaurants and attractions to visitors, but it’s also our job to ensure local participation as well. Our residents are what make New Orleans the most remarkable, unique and welcoming place in the world. We encourage everyone to take part in supporting our cultural economy throughout the holiday season.
For all things Holidays New Orleans Style, visit holiday.neworleans.com.
Walt Leger III is president and CEO of New Orleans & Company, the official destination marketing and sales organization for New Orleans tourism industry. He may be reached via email at walt@neworleans.com.
