Ogden Playdate: Christmas Singalong!

The Prytania Theater is host to a very special holiday event this Saturday from 9-11 am: the Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas Singalong!  This Ogden Playdate, sponsored by the Ogden Museum of Southern Art and Phelps Dunbar, is free but requires a reservation as there is limited seating.  Songbooks will be provided, but you are asked to bring your own flashlight.  To make reservations, email ayagoto@aol.com or call 504-523-4883.

New Orleans Free and Frugal Events This Weekend

Santa will be visiting local Toys R Us stores from 12 noon until 3 pm on Saturday, so bring your camera to snap a photo of your child with him and Geoffrey!  Listen to storytime, decorate a gingerbread cookie, and score some giveaways at this free event!

Head downtown to see Santa in the Krewe of Jingle parade on Canal Street, Saturday at 1 pm.  The parade will be followed by a block party at 2 pm in the 100 block of Baronne where you can enjoy music, games, crafts, and food!.

At the French Market on Saturday from noon until 4 pm, enjoy live music and children's activities at the St. Nicholas Day Fair.  Stick around for the French Market Christmas Parade that follows the Krewe of Jingle parade about 3:30 pm.

While downtown, don't forget to stop by the Miracle on Fulton Street events by Harrah's Casino.  Enjoy live music, snowfalls, and incredible Christmas decorations, including Macy's Tremendous Tree!  The Christmas display at the Roosevelt Hotel is also not to be missed.

DesCours is a 10-day art and architecture event happening now.  While you're out and about this weekend, take along this map and guide to show you the "hidden" artworks around the city.

Celebrate the Christmas season in a true Louisiana tradition from 5 pm to 8 pm on Saturday at the Algiers Bonfire Concert followed by the bonfire lighting at 8:15 pm. 

Have a great weekend!

New Orleans Free and Frugal Events This Weekend

If you're not out there scoring shopping deals this weekend and are looking for some free and fun things to do around town, here are a few events for you to check out:

Friday night at 6:30 pm, head to Spanish Plaza at the Riverwalk for a free outdoor screening of the Christmas classic "The Polar Express".   Make sure you bring a blanket and wear some warm clothes - it's bound to be a bit chilly!

While you're downtown, visit Santa in front of the Macy's Tremendous Tree as part of Harrah's "Miracle on Fulton Street" celebration.  Santa will be hearing gift requests from 6 pm to 10pm on Friday and Saturday, and from 2 pm to 7pm on Sunday.  If you bring a new gift worth at least $15 to donate to the Friends of the Fishermen Foundation, you'll get a free picture with Santa.  Check out the free live music while you're there - including Big Sam's Funky Nation on Saturday night! 
Have a wonderful weekend!

Tis the Season!

Look no further than the opening of Miracle on Fulton Street tonight for a sure sign that the holidays are upon us.  Head downtown for a 5:30 pm lighting of the Macy's Tremendous Tree, then a 6:30 pm concert by Benny Grunch and the Bunch.  Enjoy complimentary refreshments, snowfall, and face painting to usher in the season.

New Orleans Free and Frugal Events This Weekend

There's plenty to do around town this weekend, so if you're looking for some free fun, look no further!

On Saturday, Lowe's has it's latest installment of their Build and Grow program.  This Saturday from 10 am to noon, bring the kids to make a wooden snowman!

From 6:30 am Saturday through 6:30 am Sunday, experience the fifth annual Draw-A-Thon at the Green Project.  Check out performances by various artists, children's art activities, music and games, and draw all over the walls of "The Drawing Room".

From 11 am to 4 pm on both Saturday and Sunday, head to Plessy Park for Family Fringe as part of the New Orleans Fringe Theater Festival.  See performances for children, arts and crafts activities, and watch the parade pass on Saturday afternoon.

Speaking of parades, if you've never experienced a New Orleans second line parade, Saturday morning is your chance.  A parade to honor the memory of musician and music teacher Walter Payton Jr. will follow a brief memorial service at Preservation Hall on Saturday morning at 10:30 am and wind from Preservation Hall down St. Claude, pass McDonough No. 15 where he taught, and back through the French Quarter back to the start.

Santa Claus himself, along with Mrs, Claus, Rudolph, and Frosty, will lead another second line parade through Lakeside Mall in Metairie as he arrives on Saturday at 9:30 am. 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Santa at Lakeside Mall

Santa has been on a 25-city tour since appearing in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, and will make his last stop at Macy's in Lakeside Mall on Tuesday at 2pm. He'll only be there for an hour before heading back up to the North Pole to get ready for his trip on Christmas Eve, so get there while you can! Enjoy Christmas music and a reading of The Night Before Christmas, and take a picture with Santa before its too late!

New Orleans Area Free and Frugal Events this Weekend

Here are a few things to work into your schedule this weekend:

On Saturday morning at 10am, the Luling Planetarium will host "George and Oatmeal Save Santa" - a Christmas show for little ones. A second showing is scheduled for 2pm, followed by another holiday show called "Season of Light". Both events are free.

Saturday night the Saints will be (hopefully) beating the Cowboys in the Superdome. If you don't have tickets to the game and want to watch it in a unique setting, head over to Celebration in the Oaks at City Park. They'll have the big screens set up, and if you wear your black and gold, you get $1 off the $7 admission price.

On Sunday 12/20 there will be free admission to the Louisiana Children's Museum courtesy of Target.

Enjoy free, beautiful Christmas music with your family on Sunday evening at St. Louis Cathedral's annual Christmas concert - part of the Cathedral Concert Series. The final event in this series will be a gospel performance on Monday at 6pm.

Enjoy the beautiful weekend!

New Orleans Area Free and Frugal Events this Weekend

There are only 2 more weekends before Christmas, and no shortage of ways to celebrate! On Saturday, take the family down to Canal Street for their Kids on Canal Street events. Radio Disney, the Calliope Puppets, and Santa will all be on hand at various Canal Street locations to entertain.

If music is your thing, head to St. Louis Cathedral and check out one (or more) of the Cathedral Concerts. See Philip Manuel on Thursday, Ellis Marsalis, on Sunday, or any of the other 6 concerts scheduled in the next week. All are free and open to the public.

Celebrate the beginning of Hanukkah with the lighting of a 12-foot menorah on Sunday at Chanukah at Riverwalk. Enjoy dancing, music, and food from 4-6pm.

If you haven't yet made it out to Miracle on Fulton Street, this weekend you can watch the Christmas movie Elf on the big screen, or enjoy music from the Topcats (Friday), Cullen Landry and Midnight Streetcar (Saturday), and the Yat Pack (Sunday).

Keep your fingers crossed for good weather, and get out and enjoy the holiday season in New Orleans!

New Orleans Area Free and Frugal Events this Weekend

Christmas lights EVERYWHERE! At 5:30pm Friday, the famous Al Copeland Christmas lights will be turned on at Lafreniere Park. Running from 5:30pm to 10pm nightly until January 6th, the lighting ceremony will include performances and carolers.

What would a holiday season be without a parade? Saturday morning at 11am head to Canal Street downtown to see the Krewe of Kringle in the Canal Street Christmas Parade. Stick around afterwards for a free concert at Elk Place and enjoy the sounds of Jeremy Davenport, Kermit Ruffins, and others.

While downtown, why not make a day of it and head over to Miracle on Fulton? My 4 year old is annoyed at the fact that we likely won't see snow this season, so maybe I'll placate him with the fake snowfall on Fulton....

Also on Saturday is the next installment of the Kids Culinary Camp sponsored by the Junior League of New Orleans at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum.

If your kids are more of the crafty type, head to your nearest Lowe's Build and Grow clinic to make a gingerbread house, or to your nearest Michael's to make Christmas present crafts for the family!

Have a great weekend enjoying the spirit of Christmas!

Christmas in New Orleans

Tonight is opening night for Celebration in the Oaks at City Park. Enjoy lights, rides, a laser show, and a narration of the Cajun Night Before Christmas - one of my favorite holiday tales. In fact, I still have the copy of the book that my Mamere gave to me MANY years ago, and read it to my own children! The celebration is open this weekend, closed Monday through Thursday, then begins its nightly run on December 4th until December 30th. Admission is $7 per person, and children 3 and under are free (rides extra).

Also opening tonight and running through January 3rd is Harrah's Casino's Miracle on Fulton Street. This is a free event and family-friendly. Enjoy Christmas lights, live music, visit Santa Claus, and if you're there at the right time, it just may snow!

The Christmas season is upon us!

It's official: the Christmas season is upon us in the New Orleans area! As if the holiday decorations that have been popping up all over town haven't put you in the Christmas spirit, tonight at 5:30pm the Christmas lights on Canal Street downtown will be switched on! Santa Claus will arrive on one of the red streetcars (how else would he arrive in New Orleans?) and will flip the switch to light the Christmas tree and lights on Canal Street. Stick around and listen to the McDonough 35 choir, and head over to Fulton Street to check out a preview of Harrah's Miracle on Fulton Street events.