Easter in New Orleans: Parades, Services and Brunch

By The Travel Fieldbook October 7, 2026

An Easter party at a house in Carrollton, New Orleans, in 2007. (Infrogmation of New Orleans · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Edited)

Easter in New Orleans brings three French Quarter parades, worship at St Louis Cathedral and a reason to linger over brunch. You can spend Sunday watching processions, attending services or combining the two. Choose the celebration you most want to join before arranging your meal, especially if you are combining worship with parade watching. Easter moves with the church calendar, and families can also join a separate egg hunt at City Park.

Easter dates and the annual programme

Date rule: First Sunday after the first full moon on or after 21 March, the Church’s spring equinox
Possible months: March or April
Celebration span: Centred on Easter Sunday, with some Saturday events
Free viewing: Chris Owens and Gay Easter parades, no street-viewing ticket
Paid experiences: Float rides, luncheons, restaurant dining and organised family activities
Reservations: Make reservations in advance

New Orleans & Company publishes an Easter guide and event listings on NewOrleans.com that bring together the city’s celebrations and dining options. The Historic French Quarter Easter Parade, Chris Owens parade organiser and Gay Easter Parade publish their own programmes. City Park Conservancy handles the Egg Scramble’s event details and ticket sales.

Treat street watching, worship and ticketed participation as separate choices. A place at a luncheon or on a float is not needed to enjoy the public parade. Cathedral worship is a religious observance rather than a sightseeing appointment.

The three French Quarter Easter parades

Parade	Start or resumption	Departure
Historic French Quarter Easter Parade	9:45am, resumes noon	Antoine’s Restaurant
French Quarter Easter Parade honouring Chris Owens	Typically 1pm	Royal and St Louis streets, Omni Royal Orleans Hotel
Gay Easter Parade	4:30pm	GrandPre’s, 834 N. Rampart Street

The usual Easter Sunday parade programme

The Historic French Quarter Easter Parade combines a procession with Easter worship. Participants leave Antoine’s for St Louis Cathedral and attend Mass before promenading through Jackson Square to display their Easter bonnets and finery. The square, opposite the cathedral, is the place to see this part of the morning before the procession returns to Antoine’s.

Name: Jackson Square
Location: New Orleans, LA 70116 Maps

The French Quarter Easter Parade honouring Chris Owens is the afternoon float procession. Its departure beside the Omni Royal Orleans Hotel makes the central French Quarter a useful place to combine parade watching with a meal. Choose whether you want to stay on the street or join one of the organiser’s paid float and luncheon experiences.

The Gay Easter Parade follows later in the day on the Quarter’s Rampart Street side. The organiser publishes a route map rather than designated spectator areas. Watching along the procession is an alternative to gathering at its departure point. Its public street celebration provides another chance to watch after brunch.

Trombones and people in pink wigs at the French Quarter Gay Easter Parade in New Orleans. — Trombones and pink wigs in the French Quarter Gay Easter Parade, New Orleans, 2015.
*Infrogmation of New Orleans · CC BY 2.0 · Edited*

A bonnet or smart spring outfit is optional for a spectator. Allow roughly $20–$60 for a simple hat and decorations, or around $60–$150 if you want a new outfit as well. Reusing clothes keeps the cost down, and comfortable shoes matter more than elaborate headwear if you intend to move between parades.

Easter services and family activities

Day	Observance	Time
Holy Thursday	Mass of the Lord’s Supper	7pm
Good Friday	Stations of the Cross	Noon
Good Friday	Celebration of the Lord’s Passion	3pm
Holy Saturday	Easter Vigil Mass	8pm
Easter Sunday	Mass	9am, 11am, 12:30pm

St Louis Cathedral’s usual Holy Week and Easter worship pattern

St Louis Cathedral is the worship venue at the heart of the historic parade’s morning. Holy Thursday recalls the Last Supper, Good Friday marks Christ’s Passion, and the Easter Vigil leads into the celebration of the Resurrection. Attend as a worshipper, not as a visitor touring the building. Keep photography and sightseeing for a separate visit so that you do not interrupt the service.

Name: St. Louis Cathedral
Location: 615 Pere Antoine Alley, New Orleans, LA 70116 Maps
Site: stlouiscathedral.org
Hours: Mon–Sat 9:30am–4pm; Sun 9am–4pm

City Park’s Egg Scramble offers a different family outing: an egg hunt on a Sunday near Easter. It can precede Easter weekend, so it is not necessarily an activity to pair with the Sunday parades. The New Orleans Botanical Garden is an event setting, and the organiser’s FAQ also names Carousel Gardens Amusement Park and Storyland.

Name: New Orleans City Park
Location: New Orleans Maps
Site: neworleanscitypark.org
Hours: 5am–10pm

The Egg Scramble runs from 9am–noon, with Botanical Garden gates opening at the start and the hunt beginning at 10am. It is recommended for children aged eight and younger, with a special toddler hunting section. General admission for ages three and up is around $20–$30, with a small reduction for Friends of City Park members. Bring a basket or bag and give younger children time to settle before the hunt.

Paid parade experiences and Easter brunch

Option	Includes	Price
Adult float only	Decorated float ride	$300–$400
Adult float and luncheon	Ride, Champagne Luncheon	$550–$600
Adult luncheon only	Champagne Luncheon	$250–$300
Child aged 10 and under, float and luncheon	Ride, Champagne Luncheon	$350–$400
Child aged 10 and under, luncheon only	Champagne Luncheon	$150–$200

Chris Owens parade participation options

The Chris Owens parade’s paid experiences let you take part rather than watch from the pavement. Choose the float ride for participation in the procession, or the luncheon for a seated celebration. The combined option joins the two, while the child categories apply to the organiser’s younger participants.

For adult float bookings, choose “Float Ride Only” or “Float Ride & Luncheon” on the organiser’s website and use “Select” to book online. Luncheon reservations follow a separate procedure: select a luncheon ticket, complete the registration form, and attach and mail payment. Call Kitsy on (504) 495-8383 for reservations.

For restaurant brunch, choose the parade you want to watch before choosing the dining location. A meal in the central French Quarter suits the afternoon Chris Owens procession, while a later meal can leave room for the historic parade and cathedral worship. Leave enough time to finish eating and reach your watching spot without rushing.

An à la carte brunch gives you more control over appetite and spending than a set holiday menu. Allow roughly $30–$60 per adult before tax and tip for a restaurant brunch, with drinks, elaborate set menus and hotel dining pushing the bill higher. Discuss dietary needs when reserving, especially for a fixed menu. New Orleans & Company gathers Easter dining options in the Articles section of NewOrleans.com.

Parade access and holiday transport

Leave space between a parade and your meal or service, allowing for crowded crossings rather than relying on a quick walk through the procession. The city’s NOLA Ready event notices announce parade traffic restrictions and access arrangements.

On Good Friday, RTA runs Saturday service, with generally reduced holiday service. The Algiers Point–Canal Street and Chalmette ferries keep their normal daily schedules on holidays. RTA’s Holiday Service page, under “Know Before You Go”, explains the holiday pattern, while its Service Alerts carry parade detours. Build your arrival around the service pattern as well as the celebration you want to attend.

Sources & fact-checking

Checks against the sources below cover: opening hours, services, and fares and charges.