LAPLACE — The young and the young at heart will be treated to Christmas music, more than 75 stunning light displays and a telling of the Cajun Night Before Christmas at the third annual Christmas in the Crevasse – A Holiday Hayride.

Located at the corner of Shadowbrook Lane and Louisiana Avenue across from the River Forest subdivision in LaPlace, Christmas in the Crevasse is a 40-minute hayride through five acres of farmland.

Open from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday until Dec. 30, the hayride is perfect for families and people of all ages, according to coordinator Anita Hefler.

Admission is $3 for children 2 and under and $5 for ages 3 and up.

Hefler said the Christmas lights have been upgraded since Christmas in the Crevasse began three years ago, and she is excited about the new swamp section dedicated to the 75th anniversary of The Cajun Night Before Christmas.

The classic Louisiana Christmas story will be told in its entirety with permission from Pelican Publishing. The ride also includes an exciting tribute to the New Orleans’ 12th night of Christmas tradition.

Wait times will not exceed 20 minutes, according to Hefler, and there will be opportunities to take photos with Santa, a snowman and a gingerbread girl while enjoying hot chocolate and coffee.

The hay wagons are wheelchair-accessible, and bathrooms are available on-site.

Christmas in the Crevasse is more than family fun; it also raises funds for a worthy cause. All proceeds benefit Greater New Orleans Therapeutic Riding Center, a nonprofit providing horse-assisted therapy and therapeutic riding for children and adults with disabilities.

“The horse’s movement is most similar to the human walking gait,” Hefler said. “Getting normalized input from the horse helps people with impaired mobility develop balance and muscle control.”

Hefler said the rhythmic movements of horses also help children and adults with autism by allowing the brain to take a break from self-stimulating motions such as rocking. This allows individuals to open their minds to new topics and increases concentration and patience.

Classes are held at 152 Shadowbrook Lane in LaPlace. To sign up for therapeutic riding classes, email anita@GNOTRC.com.

There is a $25 riding fee for participants, and Hefler said the price has not increased since the organization’s debut in 1993, even though it costs more than $80 to hold classes.

“We don’t expect parents to cover all costs because they already go through a lot,” Hefler said.

The remainder of the expenses is covered through fundraisers such as Christmas in the Crevasse – A Holiday Hayride.

Hefler said volunteers are always needed to work with children or animals. For more information on Greater New Orleans Therapeutic Riding Center or Christmas in the Crevasse, call 504-453-5509.