Slidell’s Bayou Christmas returns to Heritage Park! Come enjoy the festivities on Thursday, Dec. 15 through Sunday, Dec. 18 and on Dec 22 and 23.

This annual holiday event, sponsored by the Boys and Girls Club of Slidell and the City of Slidell, features live entertainment, photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, an ice skating rink, kiddie rides, food and craft vendors, narrated Nativity scene created by artist Lori Anselmo, plus other special holiday surprises. Admission is free, but donations to the Boys and Girls Club are welcomed.

The lights will be on each night in Heritage Park from Dec. 15 to Dec 25.

 

Come join WGNO as they broadcast live from Slidell this Thursday, Dec. 1 at 5 pm and 6 pm at Griffith Park from Christmas Under the Stars. You can be a part of the live audience!

Mayor Greg Cromer is inviting the community to join the City of Slidell for the third annual Olde Towne Slidell Community Christmas Golf Cart Parade on Sunday, December 4 at 5 p.m.

The parade will be led by the Slidell Sync Lawn Chair Brigade, a premier dancing group that promises to feature flashy holiday-themed lawn chairs in a very merry way, followed by decorated golf carts and Santa and Mrs. Claus riding on an antique fire truck spreading their magical cheer to all.

Everyone from the community is encouraged to participate. To sign up to participate, go to the City of Slidell’s website at MySlidell.com to fill out the parade form and return to the Department of Cultural & Public Affairs. Registration is free and interested spectators are encouraged to mark their calendars. Deadline for submitting forms is Wednesday, Nov. 30.

In preparation for the parade, streets in Olde Towne Slidell will start closing at 3 p.m. (See the map to see which streets will be closed.) Once bollards are in place, any vehicle that is inside the perimeter of the safety zone will not be able to exit Olde Towne until after 8 p.m., when the parade ends and bollards are removed. “Special Event No Parking” signs will be placed throughout Olde Towne. Once the bollards are in place, no vehicles will be able to enter or leave the safety zone in Olde Towne, so please don’t park or leave your vehicles in Olde Towne after 3 p.m.

For more information, please call the City of Slidell’s Department of Cultural & Public Affairs at (985) 646-4375 or email acarollo@cityofslidell.org.

The City of Slidell is ringing in the holiday season with a jolly assortment of events starting on December 2, including the Bayou Jam Christmas Spectacular with Vince Vance and the Valiants, Christmas Under the Stars, and the Olde Towne Slidell Community Christmas Golf Cart Parade.

On Friday, Dec. 2, Vince Vance and the Valiants return to Heritage Park for the Bayou Jam Christmas Spectacular starting at 6 p.m. The King of Christmas will be performing all your favorite holiday songs, including his perennial hit, “All I Want for Christmas is You.” Come dressed in your favorite holiday costumes and be a part of this fun concert for the whole family. Admission is free.

Over the years, Christmas Under the Stars has become a holiday tradition for many Slidell families. Griffith Park is transformed into a winter wonderland with holiday lights and decorations and the life-size Christmas villages created by artist Lori Anselmo. You don’t want to miss the new “Nightmare Before Christmas” inspired cottage! Santa and Mrs. Claus will be in the park on Friday, Dec. 2; Saturday, Dec. 3; Friday, Dec. 9; and Saturday, Dec. 10 to visit with kids and take photos in the gazebo. Admission is free.

The third annual Olde Towne Slidell Community Christmas Golf Cart parade rolls through Olde Towne on Sunday, Dec. 4 starting at 5 p.m. The parade will be led by the Slidell Sync Lawn Chair Brigade followed by decorated golf carts and Santa and Mrs. Claus riding on an antique fire truck spreading their magical cheer to all. Check the city’s website at MySlidell.com and the “City of Slidell” Facebook page to see the parade route.

All these events are brought to you by the City of Slidell’s Commission on the Arts and the 2022 Cultural Season Sponsors, with assistance from the city’s departments of Cultural & Public Affairs, Parks & Recreation, Public Operations, Keep Slidell Beautiful and the Slidell Police Department. For more information, please call the Department of Cultural & Public Affairs at (985) 646-4375 or visit the city website and Facebook page.

Kick off the holiday season with the King of Christmas! Vince Vance and the Valiants return to Heritage Park on Friday, Dec. 1 for the City of Slidell’s Bayou Jam Christmas Spectacular starting at 6 p.m. Admission is free!

“We unfortunately had to cancel the Bayou Jam Halloween Bash with Vince Vance back in October due to inclement weather. He promised that he would do a bigger and better show and I am excited to welcome Vince back to Slidell for the Bayou Jam Christmas Spectacular! ” said Slidell Mayor Greg Cromer. “I invite everyone to come on out to Heritage Park and kick-off the Christmas festivities with Vince Vance and the Valiants.”

Vince Vance and the Valiants are a country, pop, and rock ‘n’ roll group from New Orleans. This year, they are celebrating their 50th anniversary of performing. The group is known primarily for the single “All I Want for Christmas Is You”, which charted on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts on six separate occasions. In 2005, Country Music Television proclaimed “All I Want for Christmas is You” the No. 6 Merriest Video of All Time.

Performances by Vince Vance and the Valiants are never short on entertainment, with costume changes, comic skits, and a vaudeville flair that make Vance’s shows unique and highly memorable. Vance is also widely recognized for his single “I am New Orleans,” a song composed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2010.

Concert goers are invited to bring their chairs, blankets, ice chests, picnic baskets and sweaters and jackets to the park to enjoy the free concerts. Concessions will be available. 

The Bayou Jam Concert Series is produced by the City of Slidell Department of Cultural & Public Affairs with the assistance the departments of Parks & Recreation and Public Operations. These Olde Towne Slidell Main Street and Louisiana Cultural District events are sponsored by the City of Slidell’s 2022/2023 Cultural Season Sponsors, including Edge of the Lake Magazine and the Lake 94.7; Plus+ Publications; The Slidell Independent; Slidell Magazine; Slidell Savings Magazine; Slidell Memorial Hospital and Ochsner; Silver Slipper Casino; Councilman Bill and Laura Borchert; Lori’s Art Depot; Purple Armadillo Again; Lowry-Dunham, Case & Vivien Insurance Agency; P. David Carollo, Attorney At Law; CiCi’s Pizza; Mayor Greg Cromer; Old School Eats Food Truck; Roberta’s Cleaners; and Slidell Historical Antique Association.

For more information about this event, please call the Department of Cultural & Public Affairs at (985) 646-4375. For City of Slidell news and events, please visit MySlidell.com and sign up for our e-news updates, and follow us on the “City of Slidell” Facebook page.

In the event of inclement weather, please check the city’s website or Facebook page for the latest information. Cancellation decisions will be made by 1 p.m. on the day of the event.

The Olde Towne Slidell Community Christmas Golf Cart Parade returns on Sunday, Dec. 4 and you can be a part of the fun! We are looking for decorated golf carts to be a part of the parade. There is no cost to enter the parade. See the form below for more information.

There are many great events happening in Olde Towne Slidell this weekend and several streets in Olde Towne will be closed for each event.
NO PARKING ZONES:
Due to public safety, once bollards and barricades are in place, any vehicle that is inside the No Parking Zone will not be able to leave the area until the event ends and bollards are removed. It is also possible that vehicles will be towed. “Special Event No Parking” signs are placed throughout Olde Towne to notify everyone of the closures.
Friday, October 28:
For the Zombie Crawl, sections of Cousin, First, Robert and Carey will be blocked from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. See the map for more details.

Saturday, October 29:
🕰 Slidell Antiques & Crafts Street Fair, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
🫅 Mona Lisa and Moonpie Parade starting at 7 p.m.
For the Antique Street Fair, sections of Erlanger, First, and Second will be closed starting Saturday at 9 a.m. and reopening Sunday at 10 p.m. See the map for more details.
For the Mona Lisa and Moonpie Parade, most of Olde Towne will be closed starting Saturday at 3 p.m. and reopening Saturday starting at 10 p.m. See the map for more details.
Sunday, October 30:
🕰 Slidell Antiques & Crafts Street Fair, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Join the Slidell Art League and the City of Slidell for the opening of the Slidell Art League’s Artist of the Year exhibit, opening on Friday Nov. 4 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the George Dunbar Gallery in the Slidell Cultural Center at City Hall.

Nancy Gaines is a Slidell artist who earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from East Carolina University majoring in Ceramic Art and minoring in Printing. She continued studying at Penland School of Arts and Crafts in NC, University of Tampa in FL, and University of Texas of the Permian Basin. She has resided in Slidell since 1979, working in the oil and gas industry and later for the St. Tammany School Board all while raising twin daughters. Currently, Gaines works out of her studio, My Backyard Studio, producing pottery sold at various art venues and Green Oak Apothecary in Slidell.

“I am honored to be named the Slidell Art League Artist of the Year,” said Gaines. “As an artist, I never limit myself to one medium. We have been given stewardship of the world in which we live. I feel compelled to reach out with my mind’s eye and caress the subtle beauty of the world with the use of; clay, crayon, acrylic and oil paint, watercolor, and alcohol ink to interpret the wonders that surround us.

UPDATE – 10/26/22: Due to circumstances beyond our control, the Bayou Jam concert featuring Vince Vance and the Valiants that was scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 29, has been postponed.

However, we are excited to announce that Vince Vance, “The King of Christmas,” will return to Slidell later this year for a festive Christmas concert to perform his perennial hit song “All I Want for Christmas is You” and debut a fun new Christmas song. We are also working on a few more holiday surprises with Vince this year. Stay tuned for more details!
But don’t worry Slidell, you can still see Vince this Saturday! Vince Vance, the “Invincible Victor of Victory,” will be leading the Mona Lisa and Moon Pie parade this Saturday night at 7 p.m. in Olde Towne Slidell!

Get ready for the biggest Halloween party in Slidell! Vince Vance and the Valiants return to Heritage Park on Saturday, October 29 for the City of Slidell’s Bayou Jam Halloween Bash starting at 5 p.m. Kids of all ages are encouraged to attend in their Halloween costumes. Admission is free!

“Vince Vance and the Valiants has become a Halloween tradition here in Slidell,” said Slidell Mayor Greg Cromer. “Vince has been doing this for our community since 2005 and I invite everyone to come out and have a great time in Heritage Park!”

Vince Vance and the Valiants are a country, pop, and rock ‘n’ roll group from New Orleans. This year, they are celebrating their 50th anniversary of performing. The group is known primarily for the single “All I Want for Christmas Is You”, which charted on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts on six separate occasions. In 2005, Country Music Television proclaimed “All I Want for Christmas is You” the No. 6 Merriest Video of All Time.

Performances by Vince Vance and the Valiants are never short on entertainment, with costume changes, comic skits, and a vaudeville flair that make Vance’s shows unique and highly memorable. Vance is also widely recognized for his single “I am New Orleans,” a song composed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2010.

Concert goers are invited to bring their chairs, blankets, ice chests and picnic baskets to the park to enjoy the free concerts. Concessions will not be sold this season. 

The Bayou Jam Concert Series is produced by the City of Slidell Department of Cultural & Public Affairs with the assistance the departments of Parks & Recreation and Public Operations. These Olde Towne Slidell Main Street and Louisiana Cultural District events are sponsored by the City of Slidell’s 2022/2023 Cultural Season Sponsors, including Edge of the Lake Magazine and the Lake 94.7; Plus+ Publications; The Slidell Independent; Slidell Magazine; Slidell Savings Magazine; Slidell Memorial Hospital and Ochsner; Silver Slipper Casino; Councilman Bill and Laura Borchert; Lori’s Art Depot; Purple Armadillo Again; Lowry-Dunham, Case & Vivien Insurance Agency; P. David Carollo, Attorney At Law; CiCi’s Pizza; Mayor Greg Cromer; Old School Eats Food Truck; Roberta’s Cleaners; and Slidell Historical Antique Association.

For more information about this event, please call the Department of Cultural & Public Affairs at (985) 646-4375. For City of Slidell news and events, please visit MySlidell.com and sign up for our e-news updates, and follow us on the “City of Slidell” Facebook page.

In the event of inclement weather, please check the city’s website or Facebook page for the latest information. Cancellation decisions will be made by 1 p.m. on the day of the event.

The City of Slidell’s Bayou Jam Fall Concert Series continues on Saturday, October 15, with a comedy performance by Michael Strecker starting at 5 p.m. in Heritage Park. Admission is free.

“We are trying something new for Bayou Jams, a family-friendly comedy night,” said Slidell Mayor Greg Cromer. “We invite you to come see Mike Strecker and enjoy a free performance in Heritage Park with your family and friends and start your Saturday night right here in Slidell!”

Mike Strecker grew up in Slidell and is a comedian who has performed at some of the top comedy clubs in the country. He is also an acclaimed author who has written “The Young Comic’s Guide to Telling Jokes” books 1 and 2 and “Jokes for Crescent City Kids.” His fourth joke book for kids is scheduled to published soon. He also writes fiction for adults and his short story “The Woman at the Well’ was selected as a finalist by the 2021 Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival.

The Bayou Jam Concert Series concludes on Saturday, Oct. 29, with the annual Halloween Bash with Vince Vance and the Valiants. Concertgoers are invited to bring their chairs, blankets, ice chests and picnic baskets to the park to enjoy the free concerts. Concessions will not be sold this season.

The Bayou Jam Concert Series is produced by the City of Slidell Department of Cultural & Public Affairs with the assistance the departments of Parks & Recreation and Public Operations and the Slidell Police Department. These Olde Towne Slidell Main Street and Louisiana Cultural District events are sponsored by the City of Slidell’s 2022/2023 Cultural Season Sponsors, including Edge of the Lake Magazine and the Lake 94.7; Plus+ Publications; The Slidell Independent; Slidell Magazine; Slidell Savings Magazine; Slidell Memorial Hospital and Ochsner; Silver Slipper Casino; Councilman Bill and Laura Borchert; Lori’s Art Depot; Lowry-Dunham, Case & Vivien Insurance Agency; P. David Carollo, Attorney At Law; CiCi’s Pizza; Mayor Greg Cromer; Roberta’s Cleaners; and Slidell Historical Antique Association.

For more information about this event, please call the Department of Cultural & Public Affairs at (985) 646-4375. For City of Slidell news and events, please visit MySlidell.com and sign up for our e-news updates, and follow us on the “City of Slidell” Facebook page.

In the event of inclement weather, please check the city’s website or Facebook page for the latest information. Cancellation decisions will be made by 1 p.m. on the day of the event.