4 Best Performing Arts in New Orleans, Louisiana

City Park's majestic oaks, Botanical Gardens, Carousel Garden, and Storyland amusement park are awash in holiday lights and decorations during this popular weeks-long event. You'll find food and rides, a miniature train decked out for Christmas, and entertainment by local school groups.

Throughout the month of December, Canal Street sparkles with the season's decorations, and historic homes across the city put on their holiday best. St. Louis Cathedral opens its doors for free weekly concerts, and thousands of carolers gather in Jackson Square to raise their voices by candlelight. You'll find specials at hotels, as well as holiday reveillon menus at restaurants. Celebration in the Oaks lights up City Park, and bonfires are set on the Mississippi River's levee from New Orleans into Cajun Country—a Cajun tradition illuminating the way for Papa Noel.

Every second Sunday from 11 am to 3 pm, this quaint venue hosts a family-friendly Cajun brunch, a traditional "fais do-do," where a rowdy pack of tourists and locals crowd into the rustic space for live Cajun music. There's plenty of alcoholic beverages, coffee, and delicious food, usually provided by a local vendor like Bywater Bakery. Don't worry, beginner's dance lessons each brunch will have you Cajun two-steppin' in no time. The charge is usually $10 at the door on Sundays; other times, check the website for cultural events and concerts that take place here.