The 2023 Guide to Baton Rouge Holiday Events
Are you visiting Baton Rouge with kids or looking for fun things to do with kids in the Baton Rouge area? The holiday season in Baton Rouge is beyond joyful for families; there are dozens of holiday events for families in the area!
Baton Rouge Holiday Guide Featured Sponsors
Children’s Hospital New Orleans
The Children’s Hospital New Orleans specialty clinic is now relocated to a new, expanded multi-specialty clinic, located in the heart of Baton Rouge’s medical district on the campus of Baton Rouge General Medical Center. The new clinic features 24 exam rooms, 2 treatment rooms and a dedicated room for echocardiograms. The expanded clinic will allow for increased capacity, expanded provider coverage for our pediatric subspecialties, and the addition of mental and behavioral health services. From the CHNOLA BR family to yours we wish you a very happy and healthy holiday season!
Rapid Urgent Care
Rapid Urgent Care is open every day of the year to meet your urgent care needs – even holidays! All locations include X-Ray and Lab services on site. Rapid Urgent Care commonly treats ailments such as the flu and flu-like illnesses. These include colds, sore throats, bronchitis, asthma, and strep throat. They will also treat sprains, minor trauma, and fractures. Their on-site X-Ray facility helps to determine if you have a broken bone or perhaps just a sprained muscle and their lab can provide many tests with immediate results.
Guide to Baton Rouge Holiday Events
Check out our event categories and jump straight to that section by clicking below to see all of the family friendly holiday events in and around Baton Rouge this year! If you have kids in Baton Rouge, you won’t want to miss all the festivities!
Holiday Shopping & Art | Holiday Outdoor Fun | Holiday Indoor Fun | Holiday Entertainment
Holiday Arts & Crafts Market at the Oasis
November 4-6
Discover original art, handmade crafts, custom and personalized gifts, holiday decor, live music, food vendors and more. Plus take advantage of onsite gift wrapping services.
Friday November 4th: 5:00-9:00pm
Saturday November 5th: 9:00am-5:00pm
Sunday November 6th: 9:00am-5:00pm
Merry Market at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center
November 12-13
Merry Museum Store Holiday Shopping
November 17, 4:00-8:00pm
White Light Night
November 18, 6:00-10:00pm in Mid City
Holiday Market at the Mill 2022
November 18-20
FRIDAY EARLY BIRD | 9:00-11:00
($12.50 – GOOD FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEKEND)
($15 AT THE DOOR)
FRIDAY | 11:00-5:00
($7.50 – GOOD FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEKEND)
($10 AT THE DOOR)
SATURDAY | 10:00-5:00
($7.50 – GOOD FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEKEND)
($10 AT THE DOOR)
SUNDAY | 11:00-4:00
($5 – GOOD FOR SUNDAY ONLY)
($5 AT THE DOOR)
Poinsettia Sale
November 26, 9:00am-12:00pm
It’s not Christmas in Louisiana without our Burden Poinsettias! Over 20 varieties of locally-grown Poinsettias will be on display and available for sale at the Botanic Gardens greenhouse. The botanic gardens evaluates Poinsettia varieties developed by breeders worldwide and they will be exclusively sold at the annual show and sale. A limited number of each variety are available so arrive on time so that you don’t miss out on these rare varieties of Poinsettias!
Christmas Open House at Denham Springs’ Antique Village
November 26, 10:00am-4:00pm
Creole Christmas and Holiday Fair
November 27, 12:00-5:00pm
Magnolia Mound’s popular, annual holiday event returns this year. Come visit us for this annual holiday event featuring seasonal decorations in the historic house. We will have traditional songs in French and Spanish sung by local school children, period demonstrations, folk crafts, and booths from local vendors. We’ll close out the event with the annual bonfire to welcome Papa Noel!
Admission to Creole Christmas is FREE.
Agape’s 4th Annual Family Christmas Market
December 3, 4:00-8:00pm
We would love for you to join us on Saturday, December 3rd from 4-8pm for this one night, outdoor event! We pray this is a blessing for Agape families and the community, as we celebrate the Christmas season! Our desire is to provide an exciting and joyful night for families where both adults and children can enjoy food, fun, and shopping with local vendors and makers! All proceeds from the market help to further Agape’s mission to teach the whole child- spiritually, emotionally, and cognitively with a strong understanding that they are deeply loved by our Heavenly Father. The market is open to the public and there is no admissions fee to enter.
St. Jean Vianney Christmas Market
December 8, 4:00-8:00pm
Get ready to shop! St. Jean Vianney Catholic School will hold its first annual Christmas Market on Thursday, Dec. 8, from 4-8 p.m. in the school gymnasium. This is a great way to get your holiday shopping done in a fun and festive setting!
There will be over 50 booths featuring popular boutiques and artists including Forever Lillies, Texture, Giggles, Messengers Gifts, Tina Lahaye Jewelry and HTG Earrings. The Tipsy Gypsy Traveling Bar will also be on hand selling specialty drinks and wine. The market is open to the public and admission is $10 at the door.
Christmas Marché in North Park
December 11, 11:00am
Come out December 11th, 11am-4pm for Denham Springs Big Christmas Market! Come check out Christmas Marché in North Park! 100+ Vendors, Santa Pictures, Face Painting, Bounce House, Free children’s craft corner, Food Trucks and More!!
December MidCity Makers Market
December 17, 5:00-9:00pm
Christmas is only a week away! With over 70 makers, live music, Santa, and lots of other fun activities, you don’t want to miss this Saturday Night in Mid City!
StoryTime in the Garden
November 12, December 3
Holiday Lights at Baton Rouge General
November 19 – December 31
Running of the Elves 5k
November 19, 7:00am
Baton Rouge Turkey Trot 2022
November 24, 7:30am
Come run, walk or jog the 5K or the 1 mile fun run with your family and friends and #earnyourturkey
Celebration in the Oaks in New Orleans
November 24- January 1
(closed December 24th and 31st)
City Park’s largest fundraiser, Celebration in the Oaks, is THE New Orleans holiday family tradition. This incredible light festival has enchanted Park visitors since the 1980s and is vital to the Park’s maintenance, care, and beautification year round. Make memories with your loved ones in City Park this holiday season.
Zoolights
November 25- December 30 at the Baton Rouge Zoo
Closed Christmas Eve & Christmas Day
Adults/Teens: $5
Seniors: $4
Ages 2-12: $3
Zoo Members: $3 per person
We are partnering with The Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank again this year! Every guest presenting a non-perishable food item during the hours of Zoolights, will receive a 50% discount from the regular admission price. All food donations will go directly to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank. In 2020, just over 7,000 pounds of food were collected during this drive.
ZOOLIGHTS IS:
A trail through the Zoo
More than 50 illuminated display sculptures of animals and traditional holiday displays
A festive family activity, adding to the quality of life for residents throughout the region
Gulfport Harbor Lights Winter Festival
November 25 – December 31
Beginning in 2015, Island View Casino & Resort and The City of Gulfport collaborated to bring a Winter Holiday Festival to the Mississippi Gulf Coast unlike any other holiday show in the State of Mississippi. Visitors can enjoy carnival rides, visit with Santa Claus, and hop on a train at the Train Station. Join us for a magical coastal holiday experience filled with memories to last the whole family a lifetime!
Snow & Glow at Holiday Lights
December 1 & 15
Join us at Baton Rouge General’s Holiday Lights for our exclusive family-friendly event, Snow & Glow, featuring snow, glow-in-the-dark performer, a chance to jingle and mingle with Santa, Mrs. Claus, elves and more. Food trucks will also be on site with food available for purchase.
Noel Acadien au Village
December 2-23
LARC’s Acadian Village in Lafayette hosts its 23 night Christmas festival fundraiser annually in December to benefit LARC, a local 501c(3) non-profit organization benefiting persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Noel Acadien au Village features half-a-million lights, including the fully lit Chapel, NEW ANIMATIONS, lighted holiday displays, live entertainment, carnival rides, local cuisine, photos with Santa, holiday shopping in the Christmas Store and much more!
Coca-Cola Santa Truck visits Rouses – Zachary
November 26, 2:30-3:30pm
Coca-Cola Santa Truck visits Rouses – Denham Springs
November 27, 4:00-5:00pm
Coca-Cola Santa Truck visits Rouses – Baton Rouge, Arlington Creek Centre
November 30, 4:30-5:30pm
Coca-Cola Santa Truck visits Rouses – Prairieville
December 2, 3:00-4:00pm
Sensory Santa at North Sherwood Forest Community Park
December 2, 6:00-8:00pm
Come right down to Candy Cane Lane and take your picture with the Santa Clause! Children and adults with intellectual, developmental or sensory processing disorders have an opportunity to enjoy activities and have one on one time to take a picture with Santa, without the hassle of standing in long holiday lines.
Zachary Christmas Parade
December 3, 10:00am
The cool temps have us dreaming of Toys, Trains, & Candy Canes! The train leaves the station Saturday, December 3rd at 10am.
City of Walker Christmas Parade and Christmas in the Park
December 3, 11:00am
Park: 1pm to 3pm. Includes Farmer’s Market, live music, photos with Mr. and Mrs. Clause and children’s games and activities provided by local churches and businesses.
For more information contact: [email protected] or call 225.665.3755.
36th Annual Christmas in Central Parade
December 3, 11:00am
The parade starts at 11:00am!
Let it Sneaux at Perkins Road Community Park
December 10, 1:00-5:00pm
Come and celebrate the holiday season with us! Join us as we celebrate at Let it Sneaux. There will be live entertainment, free photos with Santa, smores, hot chocolate, and so much more! So come out and enjoy a day filled with family fun entertainment.
2022 Cortana Kiwanis Christmas Parade
December 10, 5:30-7:30pm
The parade is a family friendly event, and provides merriment and joy in each element of the evening. Cortana Kiwanis supports many worthy causes with the proceeds from the parade, including Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital; the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation; defibrillators for local organizations serving children; and the Bringing Up Grades program in elementary schools, just to name a few.
Carols in the Garden
December 17, 6:30-8:00pm
Jingle and mingle at the Ascension Parish Library Gonzales location’s annual caroling! There may even be a special guest for all the good boys and girls.
Bring your family and friends to listen and sing with the crowd of carolers in our festive winter wonderland.
Erin Perdue, choir director at East Ascension High School, will lead us in singing some of the season’s classics.
You’d better not pout or cry – we hear Santa might be making a special trip from the North Pole to make sure his naughty and nice list is correct. Afterward, grab a treat from Sweet Melissa’s Confectionery and warm up with some hot chocolate from Louisiana Lemonade.
Community Forest Decorating
December 21, 5:30-7:30pm
$7
Santa’s Wonderland at Bass Pro
November 5 – December 24
Experience the magic of Christmas at Santa’s Wonderland at your local Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s!
Santa CAWWS
November 6, 10:00am
Winter Wreath Making Class at Anna T. Jordan
November 20
Ages:
16+
Cost
$45 per class
Christmas Star Story/Craft at the Zachary Library
November 30, 10:30am-11:00pm
Spiral Tree Story & Craft at the River Center Library
December 1, 4:00-4:30pm
Gingerbread Christmas Tea
December 4 & 18, 2:00-4:00pm
Conscious Moms will be hosting a Gingerbread Christmas Tea to benefit Maternal Mental Health!
We have so many exciting things in store and can’t wait for you to experience our magical Christmas experience! You’ll want to make this an annual event with your family and friends.
We will have:
Christmas dance production by For the Love of Dance Studios
Complimentary picture with Santa
Hot chocolate bar for kids
Mimosa & Mockmosa bar for adults
Gingerbread house decorating
Christmas music to sing & dance by the Baton Rouge Kids Orchestra
Sweet and savory bites
And more, stay tuned!
So bring your family, don’t leave the boys out, invite your friends as we will have the best Christmas experience but also raise awareness and funds for Maternal Mental Health. The funds raised for this event will go towards supplementing coverage for birthing persons to receive mental health therapy, a trauma specialist, and/or pelvic floor therapy, if necessary. We’re hoping to expand our coverage as we grow and continue to get feedback from birthing persons, the community and medical providers.
Hankies2Hope Christmas Mothers Tea
December 11, 2:00pm
Louisiana Holiday Pies – Leisure Class at the Louisiana Culinary Institute
December 12, 9:00am-1:00pm
Price: $150 Per Person
Ice Skating on the River
December 16 – January 3
Louisiana Art & Science Museum – A Very Merry Museum
December 17, 10:00am-5:00pm
BRBT presents Land of the Sweets Nutcracker Tea
November 27, 2:00pm
Cool Winter Nights and Hot Jazz
November 29 & 30, 7:30pm
The 11th Annual Cool Winter Nights and Hot Jazz will feature Brian Shaw, Willis Delony, Fr. Greg Daigle, Sasha Masakowski, Bill Grimes, and a 15 piece jazz ensemble in a program of new arrangements and holiday favorites.
Chamber Series Holiday Brass 2022
December 1, 7:30-9:00pm
This special concert featuring the full BRSO brass and percussion is sure to put you in the holiday spirit. The glorious St. Joseph Cathedral provides the perfect setting for brass renditions of holiday favorites. This is the only location where you can experience the famous cathedral organ accompanying some of the most beloved traditional carols.
George Bell and Friends: “10TH Annual Evening of Holiday Jazz”
December 2 & 3, 7:30pm
Please join George Bell and Friends as they return to the Manship Theatre for their 10th Annual Evening of Holiday Jazz performance. After two sold-out performances last year, this year’s much anticipated show has finally arrived.
This year George is joined by GB & Friends veterans Herman Jackson, drums; Harry Anderson, bass; Andy Bourgeois, piano and keyboards; Ray Mouton, guitar; Greg Ward, percussion and harmonica; Betsy Braud, sax and flute; Aaron Fletcher, sax; and Hilda Trenise Gautier, harp. In addition, returning by popular demand are, Alaina Richard and James Clinton, vocals; young Miles Sam, guitar; and first-time guest and Baton Rouge native, Zahria Sims, sax.
Lastly, George is especially delighted to have Quiana Lynell, winner of the 2017 Sarah Vaughn International Jazz Vocalist Contest, return this year. Quiana’s emotionally moving performance on “O Holy Night,” accompanied by Trenise Gautier on harp, showcased her classically trained, four octave range, and created one of the most memorable musical moments of the entire evening. Please join us for what promises to be an unforgettable musical experience.
Baton Rouge Symphony’s Home for the Holidays
December 3, 2:00-4:00pm
Holiday favorites for the entire family!
Holiday favorites for the entire family! Join your BRSO and BRSO Chorus at the River Center Theater for this family favorite!
This concert will feature seasonal melodies and music from favorites like Polar Express, Home Alone, The Nutcracker, and Sleigh Ride. Ring in the season with the biggest carol sing-along in Baton Rouge, and make this concert an annual tradition for the whole family!
Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime
December 9 & 10, 7:30pm
Everyone loves Christmas, especially the holiday music we all know and love! Holiday standards are excellent and help to make the season bright but what about the Christmas hits from the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s? If songs like “This Christmas” by Donnie Hathaway or “Christmas All Over” by Tom Petty get you in the holiday spirit, you won’t want to miss this show!
We all have memories of growing up listening to these great songs on the radio! Here is your chance to start the holidays off with some of your favorite tunes and hear them LIVE by top-notch performing artists in your community. This is a Manship Theatre Production created in collaboration with Emmy winner composer and Grammy recognized arranger, Mike Esneault.
The Nutcracker – A Tale from the Bayou
December 17 & 18, 2:00 and 6:00pm each day
Get ready to relive the magic of Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre’s annual holiday production, The Nutcracker – A Tale from the Bayou! The show returns to its home stage, the Baton Rouge River Center Theatre for Performing Arts, and we are so very excited for this “Homecoming”! Once again, you’ll be enchanted by the full sets of Nels Anderson, our favorite magical moments like the rising of the hot air balloon, and of course, the beautiful dancing of the Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre and guest artists, Madison Keesler and Francisco Estevez as the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier! These tickets are sure to be a hot seller so don’t wait too long to purchase yours!
Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland
December 20, 7:00pm
Cirque Musica: Holiday Wonderland is a must-see holiday event to usher in the magic of the season. Igniting joy and wonder to the River Center Theatre on Tuesday, December 20, “Wonderland” is an all-new musical journey that will transport audiences to a magical land far away for a fun-filled, unforgettable holiday-themed show experience.
St. Jean Vianney is having a Holiday Market on December 8th. Over 50 vendors $10 at the door. It’s the first annual Holiday Market.