November 2026 Events in New Orleans, Baton Rouge & Northshore

by Rêve Team

November in South Louisiana

Down here, November is when fall finally means it. The jackets come out (for about an hour), somebody in your family starts the first gumbo of the season, and every weekend has a festival, a big game or both.

We live and sell homes in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and the Northshore, so this is our list of the best things to do in November 2026 across all three. It's what we'd tell a friend who just moved here.

Dates are current as of late October. Check the link before you go.

New Orleans in November: Beignets, Po-Boys and the Bayou Classic

Quick answer: This month's can't-miss list in New Orleans: Beignet Fest (Nov. 7), the Oak Street Po-Boy Festival (Nov. 8), LUNA Fête (Nov. 13 to 15), two Saints home games and the Bayou Classic on Thanksgiving weekend (Nov. 28).

If there's a month that proves New Orleans plans its calendar around food, it's this one. The first weekend alone could feed you until Thanksgiving.

Beignet Fest

We'd start the month where every New Orleanian's sweet tooth starts: beignets. This year's Beignet Fest takes over the City Park Festival Grounds on November 7, and it goes way past the classic powdered-sugar square. Think savory versions, stuffed ones and a few you'll be talking about at dinner. There's live music all day and a sensory-friendly Kids Village, little ones 10 and under get in free, and every ticket helps the local autism community. One piece of advice from people who've learned the hard way: leave the black shirt at home. Tickets

Bayou Bacchanal

Once the sugar wears off, head toward Canal Street. That same afternoon, Bayou Bacchanal brings Caribbean carnival to town with costumed bands, soca you can hear from blocks away and island food worth the walk. It's one of the most joyful days on the fall calendar, and a good reminder of how much of this city's rhythm came by way of the Caribbean. Details

Oak Street Po-Boy Festival

Sunday is for po-boys. The Oak Street Po-Boy Festival returns November 8, and this Uptown street fills with more than 100 versions of the sandwich we'll argue about forever. Roast beef with debris, fried shrimp, something you've never seen on French bread before. Walking in is free, but you'll want a wristband to buy food. Get there early, and order at least one fully dressed. Details

Saints home games

Here's the beauty of that Sunday: the Saints kick off at noon in the Superdome against Cleveland, so you can grab a po-boy to go and make it to your seat (or your couch). They're home again the following Sunday, November 15, against Carolina, before heading out on the road to close the month. Schedule

LUNA Fête

Mid-month, the city trades food for light. LUNA Fête is back in the Arts District November 13 through 15, turning the buildings around Lafayette Square and Piazza d'Italia into canvases from 6 to 10 every night. There's projection mapping, glowing sculptures, a brand-new puppetry parade and hot chocolate on the corner. It's free, it's magical for kids, and it might be the most photographed weekend of the year downtown. Details

New Orleans Marathon and Fit Fête

If you'd rather be up early than out late, that same weekend is race weekend. The New Orleans Marathon winds through City Park and along the Lakefront, with a half, a 5K and a full wellness festival around it. Not a runner? Bring a coffee and cheer from under the oaks. Somebody out there needs it. Register

Thanksgiving weekend and the Bayou Classic

And then comes the best weekend of the month. Thanksgiving morning, November 26, plenty of us lace up for the Turkey Day Race in City Park or head to the Fair Grounds for the Thanksgiving race before anyone touches the oyster dressing. The next night, Celebration in the Oaks switches on and keeps City Park glowing through New Year's. Then on Saturday, November 28, the whole city feels the Bayou Classic. Southern and Grambling meet in the Superdome for the 53rd time, and if you've never seen the Battle of the Bands, that alone is worth the ticket. Bayou Classic tickets · Celebration in the Oaks

Baton Rouge in November: Big Saturdays and Holiday Lights

Quick answer: If you only do a few things in Baton Rouge this November, make it LSU vs. Alabama (Nov. 7) and LSU vs. Texas (Nov. 14) in Tiger Stadium, White Light Night in Mid City (Nov. 20), Cap City Beer Fest (Nov. 1) and the opening of Louisiana Lights (Nov. 27).

Ask anyone in the capital city what November is about and you'll hear two words: Alabama week. But the month has a lot more going for it once the tailgate tents come down.

Cap City Beer Fest

It starts easy. Cap City Beer Fest pours downtown on the first Sunday of the month, November 1, and every glass helps Companion Animal Alliance care for the city's shelter pets. Get your ticket ahead of time, because they don't promise room at the gate. Details

LSU vs. Alabama and LSU vs. Texas

Then the real build-up begins. Alabama rolls into Tiger Stadium on November 7, and the whole city spends the week before talking about nothing else. As if that weren't enough, Texas comes to Death Valley the very next Saturday, November 14. Two Saturdays like that in a row don't come around often. Claim your spot by the Lakes early, pack the jambalaya, and give yourself extra time on Nicholson. Schedule

Baton Rouge Symphony: Tchaikovsky's Fifth

Between those two games, the city shows off its quieter side. On Thursday, November 12, the Baton Rouge Symphony plays Tchaikovsky's Fifth, the kind of night that gives you an excuse to trade the purple and gold for something a little dressier. Tickets

A Midsummer Night's Dream at Swine Palace

That same night, Swine Palace opens A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Reilly Theatre on LSU's campus, running through November 22. Lovers, fairies and a lot of mischief, from the company that's been bringing professional theater to campus for decades. Tickets

White Light Night

By the week before Thanksgiving, Baton Rouge is in a holiday mood, and nothing kicks it off like White Light Night. On Friday, November 20, Government Street glows from 6 to 10 p.m. with Louisiana artists, makers, live music and Mid City restaurants staying open late. It's free, it's where a lot of us knock out half our gift list, and parking goes fast, so rideshare or ride your bike. Details

Louisiana Lights

Once the turkey's put away and the family is still in town, you'll want somewhere to take them. Louisiana Lights opens at LSU Burden Museum & Gardens the day after Thanksgiving, November 27, with illuminated paths that make for an easy evening stroll. Sessions start at 5:30 p.m. and timed tickets go quickly. Details

And for Jaguar fans, Thanksgiving weekend means one thing. Southern heads down I-10 to face Grambling at the Bayou Classic on Saturday, November 28 in the Superdome. It's the biggest game of their season, and half of Baton Rouge makes the drive with them.

The Northshore in November: Art, Music and Slower Weekends

Quick answer: On the Northshore, mark your calendar for the Covington Three Rivers Art Festival (Nov. 14 and 15), the Ozone Songwriter Festival in Covington (Nov. 6 to 8), Heroes Who Cook (Nov. 1) and the Louisiana Renaissance Festival in nearby Hammond (weekends from Nov. 7).

Across the lake, November moves at its own pace. Coffee in hand, a slow walk down Columbia Street, music drifting over from the Trailhead. It's the month that reminds us why so many families choose St. Tammany, and downtown Covington is at the center of almost all of it.

Heroes Who Cook

The month opens with one of the Northshore's best nights out for a good cause. On November 1, Heroes Who Cook sets up on the rooftop of the Justice Center garage downtown, where local leaders team up with Northshore restaurants and go head to head for your vote. You taste every dish, the drinks are included, and every dollar of the $105 ticket goes to Hope House and the kids it protects. Tickets

Ozone Songwriter Festival

Stick around downtown, because the very next weekend, November 6 through 8, Covington turns into Louisiana's songwriting capital. The Ozone Songwriter Festival brings more than 100 musicians to the Trailhead and small venues around town, playing their own songs in rooms quiet enough to catch every lyric. Pick a venue, grab a seat and let the night surprise you. Details

Louisiana Renaissance Festival

That same Saturday, November 7, the gates open at the Louisiana Renaissance Festival, just up the road in Hammond. Jousting knights, aerial acts, comedy and artisan shops set the scene every weekend through mid-December. Kids love it, the costumes are half the fun, and it's a sneaky-good place to start holiday shopping. Details

Covington Three Rivers Art Festival

Mid-month brings the weekend Covington plans all year for. On November 14 and 15, the Three Rivers Art Festival lines Columbia Street with about 200 juried artists from across the country, plus live demos, a Children's Village and a student art show full of work by St. Tammany kids. Admission is free, and so is the Saturday evening concert with Paul Childers at the Trailhead. Our advice: park a few blocks out and walk in, because downtown fills up fast. Details

Fall Fest at the Lang House

If Sunday calls for something slower, drive over to Old Mandeville. The Lang House Museum, a restored 1850s Creole cottage, hosts its Fall Fest that same Sunday, November 15, with an afternoon of family activities. Finish with a walk along the lakefront while the sun sets over Lake Pontchartrain. Details

Northshore for the Cure Festival

The Saturday before Thanksgiving, November 21, Slidell takes its turn. Northshore for the Cure fills Bella Sera Lane with live music, food and family activities, all to support community health. It was started by The Kitchen Guys, and it has that neighbors-helping-neighbors feel the Northshore does so well. Details

And if you missed Oktoberfest, you still have time. Middendorf's in Slidell keeps its German menu going on Wednesdays and Thursdays through November 12.

November 2026 in South Louisiana: frequently asked questions

What are the best free things to do in New Orleans in November 2026?

LUNA Fête lights up the Arts District for free November 13 to 15, and the Oak Street Po-Boy Festival on November 8 is free to enter (you'll buy a wristband for food). In Baton Rouge, White Light Night on November 20 is free, and Covington's Three Rivers Art Festival is free November 14 and 15.

When is the Bayou Classic in 2026?

The 53rd Bayou Classic between Southern and Grambling State is Saturday, November 28, 2026, at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

When does LSU play at home in November 2026?

LSU hosts Alabama on November 7 and Texas on November 14 in Tiger Stadium.

When are the Saints home games in November 2026?

The Saints host Cleveland on Sunday, November 8 and Carolina on Sunday, November 15 at Caesars Superdome.

What can you do in New Orleans over Thanksgiving weekend?

Run the Turkey Day Race in City Park, catch the Thanksgiving race at the Fair Grounds, see the Bayou Classic on Saturday, and visit Celebration in the Oaks, which opens November 27.