#JP200
Jefferson Parish | February 11
There is far more to Jefferson Parish, and the #JP200 yearlong celebration in 2025 sets out to showcase its full story.
If you don't have friends, relatives, or a business in Metairie or Marrero, Jefferson Parish may only mean Veterans Boulevard or a trek across the Huey P. Long Bridge. Despite its size, business prowess, and post-Katrina changes in population, the words "Jefferson Parish" may still conjure vague or stereotypical images for New Orleanians who don't venture across the line except to shop or to retrieve someone from the airport.
To begin with, Jefferson Parish is the second most populated parish in the state, second only to Baton Rouge Parish, and it's the largest in terms of land area.
Jefferson Parish is More than Metairie and Kenner, Brah
Jefferson Parish stretches approximately 359 square miles from Lake Pontchartrain to the Gulf of Mexico. The Eastbank includes the unincorporated areas of Metairie and Jefferson, as well as the incorporated cities of Kenner and Harahan. The Westbank contains the unincorporated areas of Marrero, Harvey, Terrytown, Crown Point, Lafitte, and Waggaman, while Gretna, Westwego, and Jean Lafitte are incorporated. The incorporated town of Grand Isle, located on a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico, forms the parish's southernmost boundary.
"Jefferson is categorized as a quintessential suburb, when, in fact, it is unique. Diversity is found in our bayous and boulevards, historic districts and fishing communities, high rises, and camps, and in our collective people, ethnic, and cultural experiences. Celebrating the 200th birthday of the parish provides the opportunity to share a collaborative message of the diverse people and landscape," said Terrie Birkel, chief operating officer and vice president of marketing for Jefferson Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc.
Jefferson Parish Almost had a Much Harder to Spell Name
French colonists became the first Europeans to colonize Metairie in the 1720s in an area then known as Tchoupitoulas, which was initially considered for the official parish name. According to historian Richard Campanella, Bayou Metairie originated 2,600 years ago when the Mississippi shifted eastward, depositing sediment to form New Orleans' first topographical feature, the Metairie-Gentilly Ridge. "Bayou Metairie served as a passable road through water-logged backswamps. The loamy soils were used not for sprawling commodity plantations, but for small market gardens, dairies, orchards, and tenant farms (métairie), thus the French name Chemin de la Métairie. Indigenous peoples called the stream Bayou Tchoupitoulas (Coupicatcha) because it accessed the riverbanks known by that name."
In the end, it was named for the third president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, commemorating his role in purchasing the Louisiana territory from France 22 years prior in 1803.
A Parish Line is a State of Mind
When it was established in 1825, Jefferson Parish stretched from Felicity Street in New Orleans to the St. Charles Parish line. The current borders between Jefferson Parish and Orleans Parish were set in 1874 when the parish seat was also moved to Gretna.
More Diverse than You May Think
Jefferson Parish has had significant shifts in population since around 2010. As of 2023, the breakdown by ethnicity is: White at 50.7%, Black at 26.4%, and Hispanic at 15.1%. According to Executive Director of the Jefferson Community Foundation Christine T. Briede, CFRE, "The bicentennial serves as an opportunity to reflect on the unique cultural diversity that shapes its identity."
#JP200 EVENTS
A "Light the Night" event on February 11, the date of the official founding of Jefferson Parish, will launch the celebration, followed by a community-wide king cake party at Lakeside Shopping Center in Metairie on February 15. At the end of the anniversary year on December 11, 2025, a bicentennial time capsule will be buried in Gretna's Heritage Park. Between these commemorative events, there will be countless moments of recognition throughout the parish—just look for the iconic pelican and bridge bicentennial logo and the hashtag #JP200.
While the many festivals held from Grand Isle to Gretna will highlight the bicentennial within their existing events, here are a few of the new events created just for this special year:
A new 10k race created by NOLA Track Club that connects LaSalle Park on Airline Drive to Lafrieniere Park on West Napoleon, aptly named the "Park 2 Park Bicentennial 10k Run," will be held on March 22, 2025.
The Bicentennial Ball will take place on Saturday, June 14, 2025, at Lakeside Shopping Center. The event plans to "blend elegance, history, and community pride and transport guests through the parish's vibrant heritage." Find information at jeffersoncommunity.org.
In October of 2025, Jefferson Performing Arts will host a conference focused on Westwego's history with lectures, films, and a staged reading of a play about the 1893 Cheniere Camanada hurricane, which led to the settling of historic Sala Avenue where the Westwego Performing Arts Theatre & Cultural Center resides.
Visitjeffersonparish.com will highlight bicentennial events and is an ongoing resource for dining and recreation throughout JPA. Download the Visit Jefferson Parish app for special features such as the Louisiana Oyster Trail feature.
Jefferson Parish Schools is hosting several art contests for Jefferson Parish school students to create work reflecting the bicentennial. Art will be put on display throughout the parish at public libraries and other venues throughout the year.
The #JP200 hashtag is for everyone to use to post their own content celebrating the parish's past, present, and future online. Visit JeffParish.gov/JP200 for a full calendar and more information, including an opportunity to purchase the special commemorative poster illustrated by Louisiana artist Becky Fos.
