Oak Alley Plantation Hosts Magnificent Creole & Cajun Holiday Events Vacherie, Louisiana Oak Alley Plantation is excited to announce its special events for the upcoming Holiday season, with festivities including a Christmas Bonfire Party, Mansion Tours, and Holiday Sunday Brunches. In addition, the Antebellum Mansion and West Pavilion are also available as the ideal spaces for your private Yuletide party. December begins with our most anticipated event, our annual "Christmas Bonfire Party" on Saturday, December 3, 2011. This event celebrates a traditional plantation Christmas with dining, dancing, and a spectacular bonfire on the levee that guests describe simply as "magnificent!" "The bonfire party is one of our major fundraisers for the non-profit Foundation. All proceeds from ticket sales go to the preservation of the mansion and historic grounds. It’s a great opportunity for the community to celebrate the Season at one of the most breathtaking locations in the South while supporting this Educational Trust," says Connie Becnel, Assistant Director of Oak Alley Foundation. Docents in period clothing greet guests as they walk through the historic mansion, adorned with decorations reminiscent of Creole Christmases past. Oak Alley Plantation Restaurant’s Executive Chef Tony Reymundo and professional catering staff skillfully prepare cuisine highlighting regional favorites as Chicken & Smoked Sausage Gumbo, Shrimp & Andouille Pasta and a legendary Fried Catfish. "Holiday spirits" can be found at open bars located under the alley of oaks. The indisputable highlight of the evening is the lighting of the levee bonfire. A local tradition dating long before the levees were built, bonfires guided family and friends coming off the river as they looked for the inlet or slip belonging to their loved-one's home. Local lore also tells of additional bonfires lit on Christmas Eve to help guide Papa Noel. Following an evening of dancing on the veranda to “Misbehavin," guests are invited to enjoy a New Orleans' favorites of hot chocolate, café au lait and beignets before retiring. Seating for the bonfire is limited, so please contact the Plantation immediately to confirm your reservation. Information and other details are available on the Oak Alley Plantation website or by calling us at 800-442-5539. December is also the month for Christmas Mansion Tours, a time when the "Grande Dame" of the River Road is dressed in her finest holiday attire to celebrate a traditional Creole and Cajun-inspired Christmas! Antebellum traditions and fresh decorative greenery bedeck the Mansion, with floating camellias and potted narcissus completing the splendor. In addition, Oak Alley Plantation Restaurant holds their Christmas Champagne Brunches. Hosted in the West Pavilion, these family-oriented brunches feature a wide variety of traditional and unique specialties served buffet style. Featured foods include salads, soups, omelets, pastas, sides and desserts. Entrees range from Chicken Belle River to French Quarter Crepes, and from Fais Do Do Turbons to Abbeyville Pork Roast. Champagne, Mint juleps, Mimosas and Bloody Marys compliment the meals, as well as a wide variety of "sweet endings." Planning an upcoming holiday party? Don’t forget Oak Alley Plantation's Antebellum mansion or the West Pavilion. "Christmas Under the Oaks" is the Plantation's offering for an elegant indoor or outdoor fete. The Antebellum mansion's formal dining room seats 30 in an elegant Creole-decorated surrounding, while the outdoor veranda and "Alley of Oaks" provides the perfect venue for groups up to 250 guests. Bonfires, music and dancing can be arranged by contacting the Sales Department. The Plantation's West Pavilion is perfect for indoor holiday parties with a unique atmosphere of casual Christmas elegance. Hosted in a 19th century wooden pavilion, events are tailored to your needs from casual buffet-style affairs to formal, seated dinners. Decorated for the Holidays, the West Pavilion is the ideal indoor facility for company functions. For prices or additional information, visit Oak Alley Plantation's website www.OakAlleyPlantation.org or contact us via telephone at: 1-800-44ALLEY