Annual Christmas in Lafreniere Park Run/Walk
It is soon time to break out holiday-season apparel or running attire and join LCMC Health Crescent City Classic for its annual Christmas two-mile race, in which participants have the choice of running or walking. The event will take place in Lafreniere Park on December 13 at 2:30 p.m.
The event, Christmas in Lafreniere Park Run/Walk, features pre-race festivities at 2:30 p.m., including a merry appearance by Santa Claus. The race officially begins at 4 p.m., with staggering entrance times into the Lafreniere Park course.
Event Details
The price of entry increases after December 6, beginning at $35 and increasing to $40 on December 7 to race day. Children under the age of 3 do not need to pay entry and children ages 3 to 10 receive a $5 discount, along with military individuals.
Registrants will receive their race bib, a specialized holiday race shirt, and early access to a tour of the park's holiday lights display. Crescent City Classic Race Director Eric Stuart encourages early registration as the previous races have sold out.
"The Christmas in Lafreniere Park Run/Walk is our most festive race and a perfect holiday family outing," Stuart said.
The pre-race event includes free pictures with Santa Claus, face painting, and a holiday kids' zone. Food and drink from Blue Runner, Michelob Ultra, Jimmy John's, Elmer Cheeweez and Gatorade will also be provided, along with hot chocolate and gumbo.
After completing the race, participants can access local food trucks and observe the park's holiday lights.
Crescent City Classic hosts other races as well, with the Crescent City Classic 10K race being their most popular in the race series. Registration is now open for that race, which will take place the Saturday before Easter.
Lafreniere Park at Christmas Time
Installing over 10 million LED lights, Lafreniere Park lights up the holiday season. The park is open to tours every night from December 1 to 30, marking its 39th annual Christmas exhibit.
Tours are on foot or by car, with a $20 fee for tickets secured in advance or $25 when purchased at the park gate. Tickets are per vehicle, not per individual, and guests can either drive through the display or park at Lafreniere and walk around.
Tours by car flow counterclockwise around the park, entering by West Napoleon Avenue and exiting by Downs Boulevard. The park entrance at Downs Boulevard closes at 5 p.m. to accommodate the holiday tour hours from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. or 10 p.m..
