News Release

Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve announces the 2025 Battle of New Orleans Commemoration at Chalmette Battlefield

Date: January 2, 2025
Contact: Meredith Hardy, 504.382.0291

CHALMETTE, LA — Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve is pleased to announce the commemoration of the 210th anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans, taking place Wednesday, January 8th, Friday, January 10th, and Saturday, January 11th, 2025, at Chalmette Battlefield (1 Battlefield Rd, Chalmette, LA). Programs honoring this pivotal historic event will commence January 8th with the traditional wreath-laying ceremony at 11:30 am, followed by an afternoon of historic weapons demonstrations. Demonstrations highlighting living history, lifeways, and cultural connections will take place on the afternoon of January 10. This year the commemoration closes with a special Memorial Illumination of Chalmette Battlefield. At 5:30 pm on January 11, gates will reopen to vehicular traffic for an evening driving tour featuring over 2,100 commemorative luminarias in memory of each of those killed, captured, wounded, or missing during the Battle of New Orleans. Last vehicles will be allowed entry at 8:15 pm; gates close at 8:30 pm.

For more information, including an event schedule, videos about the battle, and additional Park programs that share the story of the battle’s impact throughout Southeast Louisiana, check us out on Instagram and Facebook and visit our 2025 Battle of New Orleans Commemoration webpage.

The daily hours for this year’s event are:

• Wednesday, January 8: 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Wreath Laying Ceremony. Free.
• Wednesday, January 8: 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Historic Weapons Demonstrations. Free.
• Thursday, January 9: Park Closed – National Day of Mourning for Jimmy Carter
• Friday, January 10: 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Living History Demonstrations. Free.
• Saturday, January 11: 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Chalmette Battlefield Memorial Illumination. Free.

Public parking: Public parking at Chalmette Battlefield is available but limited. The Visitor Center parking lot will be reserved for ceremony speakers and special guests on the morning of January 8. The Memorial Illumination Driving Tour on January 11 is open to vehicular traffic only. Media parking is available with advance notice for this event.

Tourism information for St. Bernard Parish is available on their tourism website, or by calling 504.278.4242.
Media contact: Katie Tommaseo, St. Bernard Parish, 504.278.4242, or [e-mail].

This event recognizes not only the people of the battle 210 years ago, but supporters of the troops before, during, and after. Along with the battle and the sacrifice, we also commemorate the original peoples of this land and the free and enslaved African Americans, who also fought in this battle. Our partners, who have worked over the centuries to preserve this history, include the National Society United States Daughters of 1812, the General Society of the War of 1812, the Order of Saint Ursula, National Shrine of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, and Saint Bernard Parish Government.