Tons to Enjoy

If you enjoy the arts and culture, love attending special events, and always like having something to do, then you’ve chosen the right community in which to live.

Jefferson Parish abounds with festivals and parades, recreational possibilities and plenty of opportunities for fun. Mardi Gras colors of green, purple and gold decorate the town during the weeks preceding this yearly celebration, which occurs on varying dates in February or March.

During this festive time numerous family-oriented parades “roll,” featuring decorative floats, costumed participants and free giveaways (beads, cups, colorful souvenir coins, stuffed animals and more) tossed to eager crowds that line the Jefferson Parish parade routes.

The Jefferson Performing Arts Society works to bring arts and culture to our parish. They have also been successful in promoting the establishment of an arts center for Jefferson Parish, which will soon break ground in LaSalle Park located in Metairie. For further information, visit the organization’s Web site at www.jpas.org.

Performances and exhibits are also held at two Jefferson Parish auditoriums, the Pontchartrain Center on the eastbank and the Alario Center on the westbank.

Like sports? Take in a baseball game at Zephyr Field. The Zephyrs team is the AAA-affiliate of the Washington Nationals. You can also watch the New Orleans Saints football team practice at their complex located adjacent to the baseball field in Jefferson Parish.

And you might want to cheer our area’s professional basketball team, the New Orleans Hornets, on to victory.

If golf is your passion, there are plenty of public and private courses in the area. Additionally, the PGA Tour visits the area annually and a newly opened PGA golf course is available for your use on the westbank in Avondale.

If indoor activities are more your style, you may enjoy the games of chance at the Treasure Chest Casino (on the eastbank in Kenner) and Boomtown Casino (on the westbank in Harvey). Both offer deluxe buffets, concerts and other entertainment, and special promotions.

Education and entertainment mingle at Rivertown. This 16-block historic complex in Kenner offers a host of cultural and family attractions, including eight museums, a fine arts gallery, a repertory theater and a newly opened planetarium. For more information, visit this organization’s Web site at www.rivertownkenner.com.

And no description of the area would be complete without mentioning the dining possibilities. World-class restaurants featuring local and global cuisine are in abundance. Whether casual or sophisticated, you will never run out of great places to dine.

For details on area events and attractions, visit the Jefferson Parish Convention & Visitors Bureau on the Web at www.neworleansgateway.com.