Holiday Festival Lights Up Natchitoches
One of the state's oldest towns is a beautiful holiday destination, with spectacular lights and festivities from mid-November until after New Year's Day.
History of the Natchitoches Christmas Lights
Natchitoches (pronounced “NACK-a-tish”) has been called the “City of Lights” since 1927, when the city’s chief electrician decided that stringing Christmas lights along Front Street would be a nice gift to the town's residents. His gesture has evolved into the six-week-long Natchitoches Christmas Festival, one of the longest-running holiday celebrations in America.
How to See the Natchitoches Christmas Lights
Each November, the area is transformed into the ultimate winter wonderland when decorations and more than 300,000 lights set the scenic Cane River Lake aglow.
Natchitoches gets serious about Christmas — their holiday season lasts for six weeks, from the Saturday before Thanksgiving to Jan. 6. The lights start twinkling the Saturday before Thanksgiving, with a Holiday Kids Fest, musical entertainment, cookies with Santa, and a drone and fireworks show. And there’s an event nearly every day until Jan. 6, including live music, a lighted boat parade and a holiday market.
About the Natchitoches Christmas Festival
For one Saturday each December, the Natchitoches Christmas lights get an upgrade — the downtown becomes a holiday market straight from the glowing streets of Paris or London. The annual Christmas Festival also features music, entertainment, arts and crafts, a parade and a fireworks display choreographed to holiday music.
Look for snow and carolers on Front Street, where food booths are run by local restaurants and home bakers (don't miss the iconic Natchitoches meat pie!).
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Natchitoches Christmas Festival?
The Natchitoches Christmas season starts on the Saturday before Thanksgiving and ends on Jan. 6. There’s an event nearly every day until Jan. 6, including the official Natchitoches Christmas Festival.
How much does it cost to see the Natchitoches Christmas lights?
There's no admission to enter the Riverbank area (where the Christmas lights are most concentrated) Sunday through Friday. On Saturdays, during events like Holiday Kids Fest and Cookies with Santa, admission to the downtown Riverbank area is $15 after 1 p.m. Children ages 6 and under can enter for free.
Where is the best place to see the Natchitoches Christmas lights?
The best place to see the Natchitoches Christmas lights is the downtown Riverbank area! More than 300,000 Christmas lights illuminate the street along Cane River Lake.
What time do the lights turn on?
The Christmas season officially begins with the Turn on the Holidays event at 7 p.m. on Nov. 22. After the kickoff, the lights turn on at dusk daily from Nov. 23 through Jan. 6.
