NEW ORLEANS — The City of New Orleans will be hosting the 52nd Annual Bayou Classic Presented by Procter & Gamble from Nov. 27 – 29. Preparations are underway for hosting the Annual Bayou Classic Thanksgiving Day Parade, Fan Fest, Beats Before Battle, Greek Show & Battle of the Bands presented by the Louisiana Office of Tourism, culminating with the annual classic football game. To view the full press conference, click here.
The New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (NOHSEP) will be activated to a level 3 with staff monitoring throughout the weekend.
The New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) will assign officers to the Marigny, French Quarter and Central Business District CBD) for traffic control, walking beats and area patrols, while continuing to carry out normal operations across the city. The Louisiana State Police and National Guard will be supporting the NOPD, providing additional visibility and assistance across event areas.
To help ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone, the public is encouraged to be patient and prepared for heavy vehicular and pedestrian traffic in the event areas in and around the Central Business District (CBD) and the French Quarter by making transportation arrangements accordingly.
Annual Bayou Classic Thanksgiving Day Parade Route
The Bayou Classic Parade will roll on Thursday, Nov. 27, at 3 p.m.:
- Parade begins at the Caesars Superdome at Poydras Street and Loyola Avenue
- Travels down Poydras Street to South Peters Street
- Turn left on South Peters Street to Canal Street
- Turn left on Canal Street to St. Charles Avenue
- Turn left on St. Charles Avenue to Poydras Street
- Turn right on Poydras Street to Loyola Avenue
Parade No-Parking Zones
No-parking zones will be in effect on the following streets on Thursday, Nov. 27 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.:
- On both sides of Poydras Street between South Claiborne Avenue and South Peters Street
- On both sides of South Peters Street between Poydras Street and Canal Street
- On both sides of Canal Street between South Peters Street and St. Charles Avenue
- On both sides of St. Charles Avenue between Canal Street and Poydras Street
- On both sides of Loyola Avenue between Poydras Street and Common Street
Additional Traffic Impacts
The French Quarter Exterior and Interior Closure will be enhanced for Bayou Classic weekend. In addition to law enforcement officers manning the intersection, moveable bollards will be utilized to set up an enhanced closure of the streets.
The closures will be effective nightly on the following dates and times:
FRIDAY, NOV. 28 AND SATURDAY, NOV. 29
- Interior Closure – 5 p.m. – 5 a.m.
- Exterior Closure – 5 p.m. – 5 a.m.
EXTERIOR CLOSURE
All streets leading into the French Quarter from Canal Street, Decatur Street, North Rampart Street and Dumaine Street will be closed to vehicular traffic with the exception of:
- Residents
- Hotel guests
- Anyone going to a restaurant or other event
- Taxi cabs, limousines and small buses will be allowed to enter
- No large trucks, buses, etc.
- Vehicles will be made aware that they will not be able to cross Bourbon Street
INTERIOR CLOSURE
All streets crossing Bourbon Street from Royal Street (river side) and Dauphine Street (lake side) including Iberville, Bienville, Conti, St. Louis, Toulouse, St. Peter, and St. Ann Streets will be closed to all vehicular traffic.
- No vehicles will be allowed to cross Bourbon Street
- Only emergency vehicles needing to access Bourbon Street or any parts of the Interior Closure will be allowed to enter
The Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO) has closed the following street blocks to vehicular traffic for the French Quarter Transmission Main project:
- 600 block of St. Peter St. from Royal St. to Chartres St.
- 900 – 1300 blocks of Decatur St. from Dumaine St. to Esplanade Ave.
For additional questions regarding the project and related closures, email Outreach@swbno.org.
French Quater No-Parking Zones
FRIDAY, NOV. 28 AND SATURDAY, NOV. 29
Hours: 12 p.m. – 6 a.m. daily
700 – 800 blocks of the following streets:
- Iberville Street
- Bienville Street
- Conti Street
- St. Louis Street
- Toulouse Street
- St. Peter Street
- Orleans Street
- St. Ann Street
Additional No-Parking for Bayou Classic
FRIDAY, NOV. 28 AND SATURDAY, NOV. 29
Hours: 6 p.m. – 6 a.m. daily
- Canal Street – both sides from Claiborne Avenue to Convention Center Boulevard
Safety Reminders
The New Orleans Fire Department (NOFD) continues to urge turkey fryer and kitchen safety ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.
Although a holiday tradition, turkey deep-frying presents significant risks, especially for those new to the technique. NOFD provides the following safety tips:
- Always use turkey fryers outdoors, well away from buildings and anything that can burn
- Never use fryers on wooden decks or inside garages
- Place fryers on a flat, stable surface—preferably concrete—to reduce the risk of tipping
- Never leave a fryer unattended
- Keep children and pets away from the fryer
For more information on Thanksgiving and general cooking safety, visit www.nola.gov/nofd. For information on the NOFD Free Smoke Alarm Installation Program, call 504-658-4714 or submit a request at www.nola.gov/free-smoke-alarm.
As always during major special events, residents and visitors are encouraged to take care in large crowds and to report suspicious activity to public safety officials.
Residents and visitors are also encouraged to follow NOLA Ready on social media @nolaready and sign up for emergency alerts. Residents and visitors should text NOLAREADY to 77295 for real-time emergency alerts.