Councilman Ben Zahn and the Patrons of Lafreniere Park will present the official lighting of CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK this Friday, December 2, 2016, at 5:30pm, in Lafreniere Park, 3000 Downs Boulevard, Metairie. The entire CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK exhibit is constructed with 100% LED lights, making it energy and cost efficient and environmentally friendly. Visitors will see festive lighted displays and elaborate decorations.
A special thanks to Park Director Barry McGuinness and the Lafreniere Park staff for this year’s new displays which include an expanded “Star Wars” section, Story Time Santa Clause and Pokémon Go display. There will be a section dedicated to First Responders this year and snow machines have been added to Santa’s Forest. Children can color and decorate ornaments to hang on Christmas Trees in Santa’s Forest and we will have visits from Santa, Rudolph and Frosty on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Children can also write a letter to Santa and mail it to him at our Elf Post Office. Plum Street Snoballs will be selling concessions nightly. The Copeland Family, who donated the original lights, will be there to assist with the official lighting.
Admission charge is five ($5) dollars per vehicle. Driving and walking tours through the exhibit are available. Upon entering the park, traffic will flow counter-clockwise around the park. The Downs Boulevard Park entrance will close daily at 5:00pm. Vehicles must enter the park from the West Napoleon Avenue entrance and exit at Downs Boulevard. The West Napoleon Avenue gate will close at 9:00pm Sunday through Thursday and 11:00pm on Friday and Saturday nights.
Our annual SNOW DAY will be Saturday, December 10th starting at 9:30am. There will be 96,000 pounds of artificial snow in the area between the Carousel and shelters 7 and 8. It is free and open to the public as long as the snow lasts.
The Carousel will be open Sunday through Thursday until 9:30pm and Friday and Saturday until 11:30pm, during CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK. Cost to ride is $1 per rider. The Carousel will close on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We also have scheduled 27 local school and groups that will perform on stage during the stretch of the display and we will once again have Story time performances from our friends at the Jefferson Parish Library.
There will be free admission to CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, gates will close at 9pm. CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK will close on December 30, 2016.
