WINTER IN NEW ORLEANS

Discover the Season’s Local Events

Winter rarely slows New Orleans down. Mild temperatures make it easy to linger over a meal, wander historic neighborhoods, or settle in for an evening of live music, while holiday celebrations bring lights, festive dining, and local traditions across the city. By January, Carnival season is already stirring, filling the weeks ahead with king cake, colorful parades, and that unmistakable sense that another celebration is just around the corner.

Holiday Glow
& Carnival Color

Winter in New Orleans moves from one celebration straight into the next. November brings food, music, and Thanksgiving traditions before the city lights up for the holidays in December. Then, as the new year begins, king cakes return, costumed krewes take to the streets, and Carnival season gets underway. Explore the events shaping the city throughout the season and find even more reasons to plan your stay.

November Events

November brings a welcome mix of crisp weather and lively weekends to New Orleans. Food festivals, neighborhood celebrations, live music, and major sporting events fill the calendar as the city makes its way toward the holidays. By the end of the month, festive traditions begin to take over, offering plenty of reasons to get out and experience the city.

December Events

December puts a distinctly New Orleans spin on the holiday season. Lights glow throughout City Park, festive parades roll through downtown, and beloved traditions like Réveillon dinners and caroling in Jackson Square return. From bonfires and holiday performances to New Year’s Eve celebrations, the city finds its own way to make the season feel special.

January Events

January starts the year with New Orleans already looking ahead to its next celebration. Carnival season officially begins on Twelfth Night, bringing king cake back to bakery cases and the first krewes into the streets. Early Mardi Gras parades, sporting events, live entertainment, and plenty of local traditions give the month an energy that only builds as February approaches.