Family Day

Our Early Bird Pricing for all-you-can-eat crawfish and the Pre-registration for our Tuition Credit Drawing expired on February 27, but you can still get your crawfish wristbands for Family Day when you arrive at the event.

Tuition Credit Drawing Details:

• All Holy Cross School students who pre-register will be entered into the tuition credit drawing for a chance to win one of three $1,000 tuition credits for the 2026-2027 school year.
• Registration for the Tuition Credit Drawing closed at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, February 27, 2026. 
• The first 100 registrants will also receive a prize pack of Holy Cross School merchandise. 
• A total of $3,000 (3 - $1,000) in tuition credits will be awarded to three (3), eligible Holy Cross School families. 
• Entrants must be present for the drawing, scheduled for approximately 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, 2026.
• One family will be selected from each group to receive one of the $1,000 tuition credits awards:
  • One (1) eligible family in grades 8–11
  • One (1) eligible family in grades 5–7
  • One (1) eligible family in grades Pre-K–4
• Credit will be applied to the 2026–2027 school year tuition and cannot be transferred.
• One drawing entry per Holy Cross School student, based on pre-registration.

Team Information

• For Family Day, Holy Cross School has a maximum capacity for ten (10) teams to participate in the cook-off. Once the capacity limit has been reached, team registration will close. 
• Teams are required to cook throughout the entire event. The event is scheduled from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This is a rain-or-shine event. 
• The first batch of crawfish must be ready by 11:00 a.m.
• Awards will be announced at 1:00 p.m.
  • Trophies will be awarded for: First Place, Second Place, Third Place, and People's Choice (by ticket).

Team Registration and Requirements

• The cost for a team to participate in the Family Day Crawfish Boil Cook-off is $200 per team. 
• Each team must complete, sign, and return a Release of Liability form before the event. Please submit completed forms to Jennifer Rice at jrice@hcnola.org.
• Teams are limited to five (5) individuals and will receive five (5) event wristbands. Additional wristbands may be purchased in advance or at the event while supplies last.

Holy Cross School Provisions

Holy Cross School will provide the following to teams:

• Serving trays and napkins/paper towels.
• Two (2) tables and five (5) chairs per team. Please note that tablecloths will not be provided.

Team Provisions

• Teams must boil at least two (2) sacks of crawfish.
• Teams must provide all cooking equipment and supplies, including:
  • Boil pot(s), burners, propane/fuel
  • Cooking utensils, spices and seasonings, and tools
  • Gloves
• Any additional ingredients desired, including but not limited to vegetables (corn, potatoes, mushrooms, etc.), sausage, and other proteins.
• Tents and any additional tables or seating needed.
• Additional crawfish to boil. Holy Cross School will have additional crawfish available for purchase from an on-site vendor the day of the event. 
• Teams must provide and have on hand a fire extinguisher for their cooking area.

Safety and Cleanliness

• Each team is responsible for maintaining a clean, organized, and safe boiling and serving area.
• Teams must provide a fire extinguisher for their cooking area. 
• Propane and fuel tanks must be in good working condition and compliant with all federal and state safety regulations. 
• Teams may bring beverages for personal consumption only. Beverages may not be sold or distributed to the public by individual teams.
• Cleanup is mandatory.
  • Teams must fully clean their area after the cook-off concludes.
  • No items may be left behind.
  • Breakdown may not begin until the event has officially ended.
• Teams must remain on-site until their designated space is completely clean. 

Holy Cross School welcomes vendor and community partners to join us for Family Day. Please register your organization using the form below.

Information:

• The cost for vendor participation is $50.00.
• Participating vendors must be set up no later than 9:00 a.m. (Mass will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m.)
• This is a rain-or-shine event. 
• Participating vendors must be prepared to bring their own tent if necessary.
• If a vendor is planning to sell Holy Cross School-branded merchandise, they will need to obtain approval from the Family Day Committee at least one (1) week before the event. Branded merchandise includes, but is not limited to, beaded bag straps, earrings, shirts, hats, etc. Holy Cross School retains the right to deny the sale of branded merchandise.

Holy Cross School Provisions

Holy Cross School will provide the following to registered vendors:

• Participating vendors will be provided one (1) table and two (2) chairs for the duration of the event.

We have a variety of volunteer opportunities available for students to receive service hours, and those interested in making this year's event successful. To volunteer, click on the button below to sign up for a volunteer opportunity and time slot. 

Volunteer Sign-up

If you have any questions about volunteering, please contact Andrea Corne at acorne@hcnola.org. 

Family Day will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

Spend the day with us and enjoy the following:

• 10:00 a.m. - Mass in the Student Center Arena with the honoring of the DiGrado and McCarthy families at the completion of the liturgy.
• 11:00 a.m. - Crawfish Cook-off begins 
• Performances by local Catholic schools
• Performances by the HC Cheerleaders and the Holy Cross Tiger Band
• Inflatables for all ages
• Volleyball Tournament, Cornhole, and multiple yard games
• A Cake Walk hosted by the Holy Cross Lady Tigers
• Bingo in The Huddle
• 1:00 p.m. - Tuition Credit Drawing
• 1:00 p.m. - After the Tuition Drawing announcement, performance by Nola Groove

The pre-order for our Family Day t-shirts has closed.

Orders placed will be available for pickup on Tuesday, March 10, in the Admissions Office. Holy Cross students will receive their shirts from their Classroom Moderators on March 10 and will be allowed to wear them on Friday, March 13, for a Spirit Day. The Spirit Shop will have a limited number of additional t-shirts for sale after March 10. The t-shirts are $15.00.

Family Day harkens back to the '60s, beginning in the 1965–1966 school year.  That year, Dr. Sal ’41 and Marion DiGrado, along with Mr. and Mrs. James McCarthy ’41 approached Br. Robert Hampton, CSC, Headmaster presenting him with the idea.  Both Mr. DiGrado and Mr. McCarthy were Co-Chairs of the Holy Cross Parents Club and were well involved on campus.  Br. Robert really liked the idea – as we always speak of the HOLY CROSS FAMILY – and their idea of a HOLY CROSS FAMILY DAY – was spot on with the first Family Day in the Spring of 1966.

The original campus, located at 4950 Dauphine Street, was the perfect place to host Family Day. The historic 1895 Romanesque-style campus with the oak trees, the playing field, and a swimming pool invited and enticed families to bring their lawn chairs, food, and BBQ to enjoy a picnic-style gathering filled with “pick-up” ball games with their families and other Holy Cross families. On that Spring day, the tradition of Family Day was born. From there, Family Day events have been an unbroken chain that all began as an idea of the DiGrado and McCarthy Families.

This year, 2026, we, as a Holy Cross Faith Community, are proud and blessed to continue this legacy and to celebrate this 60-year anniversary tradition.