I am so excited about spending some time in St. Tammany Parish for the holidays. I have heard from several locals that no matter what you are wanting to do, whether that is eat, drink or be merry (perhaps all three), you have plenty of options and opportunities that rival what you see in a Hallmark movie. I have highlighted three events I plan to enjoy the first half of December, and I think you will too!
Covington Celebration
There will be something for all ages at St. Tammany’s Holiday Festival of the Arts.
Downtown Covington will be taken over on Sunday, December 2. The Second Annual St. Tammany’s Holiday Festival of Arts boasts blocks of visual and literary arts, live music, crafts, food vendors and lots of gift-giving ideas. What’s really cool is the spotlight is on local artists. Admission is free.
Mandeville Merriment
Charming Mandeville is the site for the 15th Annual Christmas Past Festival on Saturday, December 8. The event will feature over 100 artists from across the Greater New Orleans area. This year’s festival theme, “Christmas Past Classics”, will give nod to classic films for the holidays including The Grinch, Santa Clause, A Christmas Carol, Elf and Polar Express. We’ll enjoy live music, horse and carriage rides, carolers, and of course an appearance by Santa Claus. Afterward, you can walk directly to the lakefront for Winter on the Water. There is a parade, live entertainment and the lighting of the oaks ceremony. The perfect finale to the day is the annual boat parade on Lake Pontchartrain. No cost for this entire day of festivities!
Madisonville Memories
Otis House Museum will be all aglow with decorations from yesteryear.
I am looking forward to visiting Madisonville’s Otis House Museum on Sunday, December 16. The museum is hosting special tours by costumed guides covering five decades of Christmas celebrations. The museum will be fully decked out with flowers and decorations of Christmases past, and we will learn about the customs of each decade, from the Victorian era into the 20th century. You cannot beat the cost of only four dollars.
There is so much to see and do this holiday season on the Northshore. The scenes we see may not be from an actual holiday movie, yet we’ll surely enjoy heart-warming moments throughout!