Nearly 90 people attended the Nov. 29 opening night of the Spirit of Christmas fundraiser at Destrehan Plantation in support of the Greater New Orleans Therapeutic Riding Center, according to Tracy Smith, executive director of the Destrehan Plantation.
The fundraiser, which will run nightly from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., is a quarter mile walking tour of the plantation’s 5 acres of oak trees and includes over 70 lighted frames, over 50 Christmas trees, a lighted tunnel and a reading of “The Cajun Night Before Christmas.” The tour runs through Dec. 26. It will be closed on Christmas day.
Tickets are $5. Children under 5 years old get in free. Other activities include holiday games, Santa’s workshop, Christmas caroling, and photos with Santa. Pony rides and holiday treats and snacks are available for purchase.
Smith said this is the first time Destrehan Planation has hosted this event.
“This is all new to us,” Smith said. “But it seemed like a really good fit. With the amount of land we have here, we thought this could be something good. And it looks great.”
He said he is looking forward to seeing residents experience the event and helping the charity.
“There’s a need to help here,” he said. “We’re glad to be able to help facilitate by hosting the event and allowing this to happen.”
New Orleans Therapeutic Riding Center of LaPlace provides therapeutic horseback riding and non-riding activities for individuals with disabilities. The therapy improves muscle tone, balance, posture, coordination, motor development and emotional wellbeing, according to GNOTRC’s website.
The fundraiser, which was named after one of the center’s therapy horses “Spirit,” will help support a year of programming.
Destrehan Plantation will offer a Christmas Creole combo tour, which will include the Spirit of Christmas walking tour and a 30-minute tour of the plantation home. The combo tour costs $20 for adults, $15 for children 7 years old and older, and $5 for children ages 3-6. Guests of the house tour can purchase a hot plate of food, coffee and hot chocolate. The combo tour is available Dec. 6-8 and Dec. 13-23, according to Smith.
