The Christmas display at Lafreniere Park in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, is well worth a visit, as are others elsewhere.
The display is in a public park, a portion of which is closed to vehicles except those for which the entrance fee was paid. The centerpiece is an island with a pavilion, and in a normal year when Covid is not an issue, groups come out to sing in the pavilion. The island is decorated quite extensively.
Entering the lighted portion of the park one passes between lights alongside the roadway on the right and lights in the median, called the neutral ground in local dialogue, on the left.
The first large parking lot comes at the end of the light display. One enters to the left, and may park if desired. A bridge open to foot traffic allows people to go onto the island. Or, there is a carousel one can purchase tickets for and entertain children. We did not park, but we did enjoy the lights from the car.
After driving close to the island, we exited the parking lot, returned the other way on the roadway we entered, and got to a second parking lot. Between the two parking lots is a lagoon, which serves as a reflecting pool. I should mention that there are no lights on the right side going back, but the lights on the medium and the lights on the left side of the first side of the roadway are now all to the left, reenforcing each other in a spectacular display.
The second parking lot gives a better view of the island, so we entered. The first parking lot had food trucks obscuring the view in part, but the second parking lot had none, just a truck owned by Jefferson Parish that seemed to have some needed reason for being there.
Many years ago, vandals did extensive damage to the display. Sheriff Harry Lee, a man so popular he had no real need to campaign for reelection, came to the rescue. Louisiana law allows politicians to use campaign funds for elections, and to donate excess funds to certain beneficial causes. He donated funds, enough that the display was saved, and possible improved.
Al Copeland, the founder of Popeye’s Fried Chicken, loved Christmas, and had an elaborate display. Now that he has passed on much of his display has been added to the park. If I recall, he donated it before his passing when he moved to a different neighborhood.
The current display includes some of the items Jefferson Parish had originally, items bought with the funds donated by Harry Lee, and pieces from the Al Copeland collection. The display is well maintained, and kept in excellent condition year after year. It seems to grow over time, and it may well be that new pieces are added as needed.
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Comments
blackspanielgalleryJan 21, 2022
Many houses decorate, and viewing them is free.
frankbeswickJan 20, 2022
blackspanielgalleryJan 20, 2022
The one shown here is paid in advance by credit card and a phone apt is scanned to gain entry to avoid handling money with Covid, and it can be seen from a car so there is no real danger. walking is allowed, and there is a lot of space for the people to be far apart.
WriterArtistJan 20, 2022
blackspanielgalleryDec 31, 2021
While this is named Christmas Lights, a menorah and star of David are in one picture to indicate how religions get along in the area. Many pieces are generic, like animals. The themes are many, and no cohesion run through, but the beauty cannot be denied. I enjoy it.
DerdriuMarrinerDec 31, 2021
In your Christmas 5 image, what comes after Mr. Bingle The Maison Blanche Building was home to a magical...?
You, Veronica and Frank have a talent for taking images and writing about them in a way that makes me feel like I've been there.
The range of colors and shapes is lovely in all images, from a distance and up close. In particular, I like the colors cast from the ground lights onto the tree trunks and the lights in the trees. Also, it must have been quite a chore to do the lights so beautifully for the trees in the Christmas e image and the zebra (?) in the Christmas 12 image.