Christmas Eve Bonfires on the Levee

Celebrate Christmas Eve in NOLA at St James Parish for this annual bonfire. Southern Louisiana’s Cajun tradition involves lighting bonfires along the Mississippi River on Christmas Eve. These bonfires, often pyramid-shaped and towering, guide “Papa Noël,” the Cajun Santa, or light the path to Midnight Mass. The spectacle, with towering flames and fireworks, attracts crowds in St. James Parish and surrounding areas. Gray Line Tours offers motor coach excursions, and Algiers Point hosts a December bonfire viewable from the Moonwalk.