Caroling in Jackson Square 2025

Storyboard
Written By Melanie Cole
December 2025

Since 1946, Patio Planters of the Vieux Carre has hosted a candlelit caroling in Jackson Square, a generational holiday tradition for many New Orleanians.

- photos by Melanie Cole

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Rain threatened the event but never materialized.

The annual concert in the the cathedral beforehand.

Patio Planters volunteers handed out candles and songbooks at the four entrances to Jackson Square when the gates opened.

Patio Planters board member Sandra Dartus, Caroling Coordinator and Chair who’s been working on production of the caroling for more than forty years.

A procession from the cathedral officially begins the caroling.

Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser welcomed all, with emcee Mark Romig and Patio Planters president, Joey DiFatta looking on.

Helping lead the carols are Amy Alvarez (green dress) l to right, Chris Wecklein and Harry Mayronne,

Harry Mayronne

Chris Wecklein

Amy Alvarez and Chris Wecklein

Members of the NOPD Eighth District (which includes the French Quarter) are recognized and help lead a few carols.

Patio Planters board member Mary Bartholomew and president Joey DiFatta

Melanie Cole

Brit by birth, Texan by persuasion, Melanie Cole was lured by the NOLA sirens in 2019. After college she accidentally found herself vagabonding around the globe in an international modeling career. By the 90s she’d ditched the runway heels for a thrift store army parka and torn jeans and began training as a graphic designer in Hamburg, Germany. She spent the following decades designing and developing print retail magazines for major publishing houses there.

Creating layouts that told stories in photos, together with her early years spent in front of a camera, honed her innate ability to capture the essence of a photographic story. She remains passionate about light, color, space, movement, people and their cultures, and visually documenting their stories.

Melanie lives with her two cats and loves to kayak LA/MS backwaters in her free time. Contact her at melanieshootsphotos@gmail.com and follow her at melnaieshootsphotos on Instagram.

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