Wrought-iron galleries and green shutters line a quiet French Quarter street in warm, soft light. Photo: Mary Hammel / Unsplash
The best things to do in New Orleans in November 2026 are the Thanksgiving-weekend traditions (the Turkey Day Race, Fair Grounds racing and the Bayou Classic), LUNA Fête's light art, Celebration in the Oaks, live jazz, and museum shows that run all month. Here are 25, in date order, starting this weekend.
November is one of the easiest months to visit. The normal high at the airport is 71°F and the normal low is 54°F, so a morning race, an afternoon museum and an evening of music all work without a coat you will regret.
Dates below come from each event's organizer or from the city's tourism calendar. Schedules change, so confirm times and tickets on the official page before you go.
What is happening in New Orleans the weekend of November 13–15?
The weekend of November 13–15 has an art-and-light festival, a marathon, a ballet, a holiday market and a Saints home game. Most of it is outdoors, and the cool evenings suit the light installations. Here is the lineup, in rough order of when it starts.
1. LUNA Fête (November 13–15)
The Arts Council of New Orleans' annual festival of illuminated and projected art takes over Lafayette Square in the Central Business District for the weekend. Go after dark, when the installations do their best work.
2. Fit Fête and the WellNXT Wellness Festival (November 13–14)
New Orleans & Company's weekend of fitness events starts Friday with the New Orleans Community Games (basketball, kickball, yoga and tug-of-war) and includes the WellNXT wellness festival in City Park.
3. New Orleans Marathon (Saturday, November 14)
The race is based in City Park, and the city's tourism site has posted a notice of the route and the temporary road closures near the park. Even if you are not running, it is a good morning to see the park's oaks.
4. Historic New Orleans Collection Holiday Market (Saturday, November 14)
The Collection lists a holiday market for Saturday, November 14, a pleasant way to start the gift list in the French Quarter.
5. Alonzo King LINES Ballet (listed for November 14)
The San Francisco company performs at the Mahalia Jackson Theater in Armstrong Park, a short walk from the French Quarter. The tourism calendar lists it for November 14, so check the theater's site for the exact schedule.
6. Saints vs. Panthers (Sunday, November 15)
The Saints host the Carolina Panthers at the Caesars Superdome, with a noon Central kickoff according to the team's 2026 game page.
A full house fills the Caesars Superdome on Saints game day. Photo: Matt Davey / Unsplash
What can you do in New Orleans the week of November 16–22?
The week before Thanksgiving is quieter, with the Fair Grounds racing season opening, a museum evening and two Saturday events. If you want elbow room at restaurants and galleries, this is the best week to come.
7. Opening day at the Fair Grounds (Thursday, November 19)
The Fair Grounds Race Course on Gentilly Boulevard opens its 155th Thoroughbred season on November 19. The track has raced since 1872, and its infield and grandstand are a classic New Orleans afternoon.
8. "Cider and Song" at the Historic New Orleans Collection (Friday, November 20)
The Collection lists a Cider and Song event for Friday, November 20. Check the museum's page for details and tickets.
9. Umbrella Walk and Gumbo Gras (Saturday, November 21)
The 6th edition is listed for Audubon Park on November 21. The name promises umbrellas, a walk and gumbo; the organizers' page has the details.
10. Sober Fest at The Broadside (Saturday, November 21)
The city's tourism calendar lists Sober Fest at The Broadside on November 21. Check the organizer's page for the schedule.
11. Parkway Bakery & Tavern's Thanksgiving po-boy (Wednesdays in November)
Parkway Bakery & Tavern in Mid-City typically offers a Thanksgiving po-boy on Wednesdays throughout November, according to the tourism board's Thanksgiving guide. Call ahead to confirm which Wednesdays.
A sprawling live oak shades a quiet bench beside the water in a New Orleans park. Photo: Farah Almazouni / Unsplash
What happens in New Orleans during Thanksgiving week?
Thanksgiving week in New Orleans is a run of races, horses, marching bands and a football game, from Thursday, November 26 through Saturday, November 28. We cover the history behind it in our Thanksgiving in New Orleans guide. Here is the short version.
12. Turkey Day Race (Thursday, November 26)
The New Orleans Track Club's five-mile race, founded in 1907, runs through City Park on Thanksgiving morning. The 2026 race is the 119th.
13. Human Horse Races (Thursday, November 26)
A family-friendly neighborhood fundraiser at Easton Park in Mid-City, with music, food and drink, in aid of a horse sanctuary.
14. Fair Grounds Thanksgiving Classic (Thursday, November 26)
Thanksgiving Day racing at the Fair Grounds is a long tradition, and fancy hats are encouraged.
15. Bayou Classic parade (Thursday, November 26)
The Bayou Classic parade through downtown starts at 3 PM, kicking off the weekend of the Grambling State and Southern University game.
16. Thanksgiving dinner out (Thursday, November 26)
Several French Quarter restaurants serve a Thanksgiving menu, among them Muriel's Jackson Square and Tujague's. Reserve as soon as a menu appears.
A family Thanksgiving table with sweet potatoes, rolls and mashed potatoes. Photo: David Todd McCarty / Unsplash
17. Battle of the Bands and Greek Show (Friday, November 27)
The night before the game, the Bayou Classic's Battle of the Bands and Greek Show fills the Caesars Superdome. Many fans come for the bands alone.
18. Celebration in the Oaks opens (Friday, November 27)
City Park's holiday light display runs from November 27 through January 1, 2027, with Bike Nights on November 30 and December 1–3. It is closed December 7, 14, 24 and 31.
19. Bayou Classic football game (Saturday, November 28)
Southern vs. Grambling kicks off at 1 PM at the Caesars Superdome, with a fan festival in Champions Square from 9 AM to noon.
What can you do in New Orleans any day in November?
The best things to do any day in November are the museum exhibitions, the live music rooms and a walk along an old avenue. These do not depend on a date, so they are the right plan for a rainy afternoon or a free morning.
20. Louisiana Contemporary and Burke's Delight at the Ogden Museum
The Ogden Museum of Southern Art has Louisiana Contemporary on view through February 14, 2027, and "Burke's Delight: The Stacey and Michael Burke Collection" through January 10, 2027.
21. "American Revolution" at the Historic New Orleans Collection
"American Revolution: The Augmented Exhibition" runs through January 17, 2027, an easy addition to a morning in the French Quarter.
22. "Danielle McKinney: Shelter" at the New Orleans Museum of Art
The exhibition runs at NOMA in City Park through August 15, 2027, so it pairs well with a walk under the park's oaks.
A street drummer carries his bass drum past the arcades near Café Du Monde in the French Quarter. Photo: adam roye / Unsplash
23. Live jazz on Frenchmen Street or Bourbon Street
The Spotted Cat Music Club at 623 Frenchmen Street and Fritzel's European Jazz Pub at 733 Bourbon Street are two live-music rooms to look up. Check each club's calendar for who is playing before you go.
24. Walk Esplanade Avenue
The avenue is lined with Creole houses and old oaks and ends at the bayou. Our walking guide to Esplanade Avenue lists what to see along the way.
25. Preview Réveillon dinner
Réveillon, the festive multi-course dinner tradition, returns in December and restaurants post their menus in November. Our Réveillon history explains how it began and where it lives on.
Plan Your Visit
- Book Thanksgiving-week dinners and any Saturday-night restaurant first. They fill early.
- City Park, Mid-City and Audubon Park events are across town from the French Quarter, so plan a ride or a bus.
- Pack a light jacket for the evening events, and a layer for early races.
- Check the official page for every event above. Times, routes and street closures change.
- Give one afternoon to a museum. The exhibitions listed here run for weeks or months.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the weather like in New Orleans in November? Mild. The normal high at the airport is 71°F and the normal low is 54°F, with cooler evenings.
What festivals are in New Orleans in November 2026? LUNA Fête (November 13–15), the Bayou Classic weekend (November 26–28) and Celebration in the Oaks, which opens November 27.
Is Thanksgiving a good time to visit New Orleans? Yes. The weather is mild, the Turkey Day Race and Fair Grounds racing happen that morning, and the Bayou Classic fills the weekend.
What can you do outdoors in New Orleans in November? Walk Esplanade Avenue, see the oaks in City Park, run or cheer at the marathon and the Turkey Day Race, or take in LUNA Fête's light art at Lafayette Square.
When does Réveillon start? Réveillon season begins December 1, and restaurants post their menus in November.
Make November Your Visit to New Orleans
November in New Orleans moves from light art downtown to horses at the Fair Grounds, a parade of marching bands and the oaks of City Park lit for the season. Jean Lafitte House at 613 Esplanade Avenue is an early-1800s Creole building at the edge of the French Quarter, a good base for a month with this much going on.
Every unit has a kitchenette, our rooms sleep two to six, and the courtyard has a pool for a quiet end to a long day. Book your stay at Jean Lafitte House and plan your November.
