Celebrate the Holidays with Audubon Nature Institute

Audubon has your holidays planned out with many activities and events to get you in the spirit of the season.

Crawl on over to Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium November 26 and 27 for Hoppy Thanksgiving to kick off the holidays with a buggy twist. Audubon Bug Chefs will stir things up in Bug Appétit by offering guests the opportunity to taste new twists to traditional Thanksgiving family recipes such as turkey with waxworm cranberry sauce, cornbread and mealworm muffins, and cricket pumpkin pie.

Look for the buggy Thanksgiving dishes from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The tastings are included with regular Butterfly Garden and Insectarium admission while supplies last.

Audubon Zoo Lights presented by Children’s Hospital New Orleans kicks off November 29 at 6 p.m. The event is running select nights from November 29 to December 30, 6-9 p.m. Audubon Zoo Lights presented by Children's Hospital New Orleans features an array of festive family-friendly activities.

Guests can drop by the Elves Workshop to create special messages that will be delivered to the patients at Children’s Hospital and write letters to send to Santa at the North Pole Post. The signature attraction at Zoo Lights will again be the larger-than-life, silk-lighted replicas of some of the Zoo’s most popular animals, including a 19-foot peacock. New this year, the event will feature a magical Twinkle Tunnel, an Endangered Species Holiday Tree, a commemorative ornament for purchase with proceeds in part going to lion conservation, an additional lighted Holiday Oak presented by Terminix, and more. Tickets now available!

Santa will be diving throughout this holiday season at Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. Make sure and stop by the Aquarium and let him know if you have been naughty or nice!

Jingle Bugs, December 14 from 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. at Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium is sure to get you buzzing with joy. Families are invited to come and enjoy bug-themed activities and treats. Test your knowledge of "winter bugs" with our GUMDROP HUNT. Look high and low for gumdrops to answer questions. Pick game cards up in the lobby and turn them in at the Metamorphosis Lab to enter for a prize. Sample holiday treats such as Peppermint Cricket Bark, Bug Nog, and Fruit Fly Cake.

“Jingle Bugs offers the perfect way to hop into the holiday season with face painting, games, a Santa Claus meet-and-greet, and buggy holiday treats," says Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium Director of Animal and Visitor programs Jayme Necaise.

Friends of Joe W. Brown Memorial Park and Audubon Louisiana Nature Center are hosting a Winter Wonderland East of the North Pole, December 14, 12-4 p.m. Get your photo with Santa, sip on some hot cocoa, and enjoy tasty treats. There is even a toy giveaway! Call 504.427.2596 for ticket pre-registration. For additional information about the event visit: www.friendsofjoewbrownpark.org.

Ring in the New Year kid style at Zoo Year’s Eve, December 31, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Audubon Zoo invites families and kids of all ages to celebrate the new year in style with music, games, and prizes. Pick up a party hat and noisemaker, grab a Pepsi drink for toasting, and countdown to noon to ring in the New Year with "The Pop Princesses!"

“At Audubon we believe that, when celebrating the holidays, you can also celebrate the wonders of nature,” says Audubon Nature Institute President and CEO Ron Forman. “Audubon is happy to provide the community with events throughout our facilities during the holiday season to spread cheer.”

Hoppy Thanksgiving, Jingle Bugs, Zoo Year's Eve, Winter Wonderland, and Santa Dive events and activities are complimentary for Audubon Members or included with Zoo admission. Zoo Lights is not included in price of admission. All items are while supplies last.

Wrap up a gift the whole family can enjoy all year long! Audubon Nature Institute Membership features free admission to Audubon Zoo, Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, Entergy Giant Screen Theater, and Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium, PLUS valuable discounts and Member-only events.

Visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance and can do so at https://audubonnatureinstitute.org/tickets.

For more information on these wild holiday activities visit https://audubonnatureinstitute.org/events.