New Year's Eve Celebrations in Louisiana

At a Glance

• Louisiana celebrates New Year's Eve with everything from fleur-de-lis drops to mesmerizing fireworks displays.
• Baton Rouge's Red Stick Revelry and New Orleans' Crescent City Countdown are free, while other events, like Shreveport's Rock the Clock, require tickets.
• Families can ring in the new year early at children's museums and zoos, while adults can hit casinos, breweries and distilleries.

Whether you're chasing New Year's fireworks over the Mississippi River, grooving to live music or raising a glass at a local brewery, here's where to spend New Year's Eve across Louisiana.

Note: Event details can shift from year to year. Always check with the venue before you plan your night.

Traditional New Year's Eve Celebrations in Louisiana

Red Stick Revelry

Baton Rouge's official New Year's Eve celebration fills downtown with live music, food and a countdown to midnight. Two acts typically take the stage before a larger-than-life, LED-lit red stick drops from atop the North Boulevard Town Square Beacon, followed by glittering fireworks over the Mississippi River. The celebration is free and open to all ages.

Find this year's schedule here.

Rock the Clock

Rock the Clock has grown from a small gathering of local creatives into one of Louisiana's largest New Year's Eve celebrations, filling the Shreveport Convention Center with a dazzling light show, live entertainment, celebrity hosts, an open bar and a champagne toast at midnight. The party is reserved for guests 21 and older.

Tickets go on sale ahead of the holiday and tend to sell out, so make plans early.

New Year's Eve in Jackson Square

New Orleans swaps the ball drop for a fleur-de-lis, the lily-flower symbol associated with the city. See the flower glide from above The Shops at Jax Brewery at the stroke of midnight. Before the drop, catch the Crescent City Countdown, a free celebration complete with hours of live music and riverfront fireworks.

The event draws thousands, so arrive early and expect crowds.

City of Lake Charles

Downtown Lake Charles hosts a free, family-friendly countdown celebration along Pujo Street. Experience live music, DJ sets and food trucks along with a midnight countdown and a late-night light show. It's a laid-back, free way to ring in the new year.

Natchitoches Christmas

The Natchitoches Christmas Festival has lit up the city's Historic District with glowing, wintry scenes for nearly 100 years. The Hallmark-like display runs through Jan. 6, so if you're looking for a free, family-friendly way to spend the evening, be sure to walk the riverfront. Admission is free on New Year's Eve, and a fireworks celebration over Cane River Lake starts at 8 p.m. 

New Year's Eve Celebrations at Casinos, Resorts & Hotels in Louisiana

New Year's Eve at Casinos in Shreveport-Bossier

Looking for New Year’s Eve celebrations with cocktail bars, gaming and live entertainment? Discover glamorous events at Bally's Shreveport, Louisiana Downs Casino & Racetrack and Margaritaville Resort Casino in Shreveport-Bossier.

Each property books its own live music, dining specials and countdown parties for New Year's Eve, so check directly with the casino you plan to visit.

New Year's Eve at Caesars New Orleans

Caesars New Orleans sits just steps from the French Quarter and shares a city block with Caesars Superdome. Guests can spend the evening at the casino's central bar, Octavia, or catch a show at the Fillmore before heading outside to watch the fleur-de-lis drop. The neighboring Superdome has its own New Year's Day tradition: the Allstate Sugar Bowl, a college football bowl game played in New Orleans since 1935.

New Year's Eve at Paragon Casino Resort

Marksville's Paragon Casino Resort hosts one of Central Louisiana's largest New Year's Eve celebrations, drawing crowds for a night of live music and delicious dining. A midnight balloon drop in the Grand Hall, a champagne toast and dining specials at the resort's restaurants make Paragon an easy one-stop New Year's destination.

New Year's Eve at Hotel Bentley

Alexandria's historic Hotel Bentley, a 1908 landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places, hosts an elegant New Year's Eve gala, complete with a champagne cocktail hour, multicourse dinner and live band. Cocktail attire is typically requested, fitting for a night in one of the state's most storied ballrooms. Even outside the gala, the hotel's Mirror Room lounge offers a lively spot for a nightcap, and the property's downtown location puts guests within walking distance of other restaurants and bars.

Family-Friendly New Year's Eve Countdowns & Celebrations

Children's Museum of Acadiana

Lafayette's Children's Museum of Acadiana hosts its annual New Year's Noon Carnival & Countdown, a tradition that has run for nearly three decades. Families can expect confetti blasts launching at noon, live music, carnival games and holiday-themed crafts. Tickets are required.

Louisiana Children's Museum

Discover Noon Year’s Eve at the Louisiana Children's Museum in New Orleans City Park. The countdown culminates in a kaleidoscopic burst of confetti and bubbles, while the morning includes a local brass band, face painting and crafts. Tickets are required, and reduced admission is available for income-eligible families through the Museums for All program.

Zoo Year's Eve New Year's Eve Celebrations

Zoo Year's Eve Countdown for Kids at Zoosiana

At Zoosiana in Broussard, the Zoo Year's Eve Countdown for Kids turns late morning into party time, with zoo adventures, treats and a Tiger Ball Drop at noon. The event is included with regular admission.

Zoo Year's Eve at Audubon Zoo

New Orleans' Audubon Zoo invites families to ring in the new year a little early with Zoo Year’s Eve. The event includes music, games, prizes and a midday soft-drink toast at the stroke of noon. The event is included with regular zoo admission.

New Year's Celebrations at Louisiana’s Local Breweries

For a slower, sip-focused way to close out the year, choose a taproom from the Louisiana Libations Trail. Many breweries debut seasonal releases and host live music around the holidays — be sure to check directly with the bar you plan to visit for details.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the fleur-de-lis drop in New Orleans?

The fleur-de-lis drop is New Orleans' spin on the Times Square ball drop. At midnight on New Year's Eve, a glowing fleur-de-lis appears above Jax Brewery near Jackson Square, followed by fireworks over the Mississippi River.

Are Louisiana's New Year's Eve events free?

Many of the biggest New Year's Eve events in Louisiana are free. Red Stick Revelry in Baton Rouge and the Crescent City Countdown in Jackson Square are both free and open to the public. Ticketed events, including Rock the Clock in Shreveport and most children's museum Noon Year's Eve parties, charge admission.

What is “Noon Year's Eve” in Louisiana?

"Noon Year's Eve" is a daytime countdown built for kids who can't stay awake until midnight. Several Louisiana children's museums and zoos host their own versions on Dec. 31, usually with confetti, music and a countdown timed to noon.

Where can I watch New Year's fireworks in Louisiana?

Find fireworks over the Mississippi River in New Orleans after the fleur-de-lis drop and over the river in Baton Rouge at Red Stick Revelry.