Thanksgiving Events in New Orleans

Entertainment and Dining in the Big Easy

What better place to travel to this Thanksgiving holiday than New Orleans? After all, if there is one thing New Orleans does better than Mardi Gras, it's food. But not only does the city offer incredible, world-renowned restaurants, New Orleans holds many events throughout the week leading up to and the weekend after Thanksgiving that will keep you entertained between meals.

The Longue Vue House presents its annual Turkey Tea this Thanksgiving season on Monday, November 23 and Tuesday, November 24 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Bring the kids along for this event and enjoy singing, games, crafts, and storytelling, as well as hot chocolate for the kids, cookies, sandwiches, and tea. Before departing, take time to admire the beauty of this National Historic Landmark home and gardens. Reservations are required for this event, so schedule it well in advance of your arrival.

Friday at the French Market is an ongoing event, and the day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday, is no exception. Enjoy casual dining, shopping, and music, and start your holiday shopping as you browse through unique gifts at numerous shops and vendor booths. Take a stroll through the farmers market and pick up locally grown, organic, and gourmet foods. This New Orleans classic opened in 1791 and still draws crowds to the market each day at 9 a.m. The Friday at the French Market event runs from 1-8 p.m.

A long-standing Thanksgiving tradition in New Orleans, thousands of tourists travel to the area for the Bayou Classic as the Southern University Jaguars battle it out against the Grambling State University Tigers. This is a must for football fans, so show up early for the Fan Fest, which begins at 10 a.m., Saturday, November 28. The game is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.

A separate but related - and almost as popular - event occurs the day before the big game on Friday, November 27 as the Grambling and Southern marching bands compete in the annual "Battle of the Bands" from 7:00-10:00 p.m. You haven't seen a marching band until you've seen these young men and women in action. This phenomenal performance is sure to appeal to the music-lover in everyone.