Downtown Development District | Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Red Stick Farmers Market Celebrates 15th Year Anniversary
First Ever Tailgating Throwdown Competition on November 5th

The importance of connecting the urban customer with the local farmer led to the formation of the Red Stick Farmers Market in November of 1996. The Farmers Market created a link between locally owned family farms and food businesses in the Baton Rouge area. From the very first Market day, Red Stick Farmers Market became a favorite Saturday morning tradition where shoppers could build relationships with food producers.

The success of the Red Stick Farmers Market, a producer-only market, creates a direct sales marketplace and provides a sustainable livelihood for small Louisiana agribusinesses. In return Red Stick Farmers contribute to the cultural and economic well being of surrounding rural areas.

Red Stick Farmers Market has been called the "best cocktail party, without the cocktails." So to celebrate 15 years in downtown they are having a real party with mimosas and bloods Mary's included! As part of the celebration they are throwing their first Tailgating Throwdown competition. Individuals and teams will compete in a cooking competition along the streets of downtown Baton Rouge using local ingredients from the Red Stick Farmers Market. Winning categories will include Best Use of Local Ingredients, People's Choice Award and Tailgating Throwdown Champion. Shoppers can purchase a $15 tasting bracelet to sample the tailgating fare and vote for the People's Choice Award.

There is a $100 entry fee per team, and there is no limit to the number of team members. That cost includes $20 worth of farmers market tokens, which teams can use to purchase ingredients from the Red Stick Farmers Market. Each team is required to incorporate two local ingredients into their dish, one of which must be a fruit or vegetable. Entry guidelines and forms can be found at www.breada.org. The deadline for team entries is Tuesday, October 25th. In addition to the cooking competition, there will be live music, kid friendly activities and a birthday cake to celebrate the 15th anniversary. Don't worry the event will be over before the big game!

Main Street Market
Saturday, November 5, 8AM - 12PM

Weekend Events Update

Weekend Events Update
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http://downtownbatonrouge.org/

Fall Vegetables at the Market
Look for new fall vegetables this Saturday including sweet corn, fresh red beans, green beans, green onions, turnips, persimmons and pumpkins. Enjoy music by local guitarist Kevin Johnson while shopping for the freshest produce in town. The Fresh from the Market cooking demonstration will feature Jeff Conaway of Beausoleil Restaurant and Bar, cooking and sampling seasonal recipes. The cooking demonstration begins at 10AM in the North Street seating area. Local musicians are also invited to join in the Bluegrass Jam held inside Main Street Market at 11AM directly following the cooking demonstration. The Red Stick Farmers Market takes place every Saturday from 8AM-12PM at Fifth and Main Streets.

Main Street Market
Saturday, October 8

Live After Five fall season continues with Ernest Scott and The Funk Children
Live After Five in Downtown Baton Rouge is the capital city's premier FREE live music event, hosted by the Downtown Business Association. The fall season of Live After Five continues this Friday with Ernest Scott and The Funk Children. This group of musicians have been playing music for a number of years. Their talent will surely amaze you. If you are looking for a party or just ready to sit back, relax and enjoy some good music, you've got to check these guys out! And you must have on your dancing shoes, because once the music starts, you won't be able to sit down.

AZ Young Park
Friday, October 21

Sunday in the Park
The 2011 FREE Fall Concert continues on Sunday and extends through November 6th from noon until 3PM in historic Lafayette Park across from the Shaw Center for the Arts. Come and enjoy amazing live music, wonderful food, face painting and balloon creations. Sunday in the Park is a fall and spring series of free outdoor concerts for the arts in collaboration with the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge and 225 Magazine.

Lafayette Park
Sunday, October 23, 12PM - 3PM

Art Opening Pre Event Party at the Kress Gallery
The Louisiana Stage of The International Heritage Celebration, Kress Gallery, and Artist Christopher P. Turner are presenting an art opening and pre-party. This art opening is an exhibition of artwork from artists, Christopher Turner, Robert Howerton, and Alex Harvie. The public is invited to come and enjoy music from Henry Turner Jr. & Flavor and more.
Kress Gallery
Friday, October 21, 6 - 10PM

International Heritage Festival
The International Heritage Festival is free to the public with entertainment, exhibits, food and visitors from around the globe. The colorful Parade of Nations, one of the highlights of the celebration, begins at 3:00PM. Exhibits representing the culture of more than 40 countries, accompanied by flags, native dress, ethnic food, dance and storytelling provide a rich insight into the multicultural makeup of Baton Rouge and the southeast Louisiana area. Louisiana music, food and craft demonstrations highlight our regional traditions. Everyone can receive a free "passport" complete with a global IQ test, which may be stamped at each country exhibit. Event t-shirts and posters will be on sale. Be sure to shop the international market and dine at the Taste of Nations Food Court.

River Center & River Rd.
Sunday, October 23, Noon - 8:30PM

Joe Lovano at Manship Theatre
Presented by River City Jazz Masters, Joe Lovano is a Grammy award-winning saxophonist/composer and the show will feature James Weidman, Esperanza Spalding, Francisco Mela & Otis Brown III.

Manship Theatre
Thursday, October 20, 7:00PM

A Fête for All Seasons: The 26th
Annual LASM Gala
Within the breathtaking "four seasons" transformation of the museum, Gala guests will be the first to see the elegant exhibition of contemporary artworks, Forces of Nature: selections from the Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation. Also enjoy gourmet food and drink from the city's best restaurants and caterers, music by Ned Fasullo and his swinging band, and more!

Louisiana Arts and Sciences Museum
Friday, October 21, 7:30-10:30PM

The Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra Masterworks Series presents A Celebration of Debussy!
George Bizet's incidental music to Alphonse Daudet's play L'Arlésienne opens the evening to dramatic affect. The orchestra with Robert Dilutis, BRSO principal clarinetist, performs Première Rhapsodie, a work by the most transformative of all the French Impressionist composers, Claude Debussy. The Pleasure Dome of Kubla Khan by composer Charles Griffes, American's most famous representative of musical Impressionism, then takes the listener on an entrancing visit to a world of exotic mystery. The evening's musical canvas becomes awash in tempestuous, watery hues as the orchestra performs Debussy's La Mer. With its unusual impressionistic harmonies, this influential work is rich with sensuous tonal colors.

River Center
Thursday, October 20, 7:30PM

Louisiana State Museum Fall Lecture Series
Lunchtime Lagniappe, a weekly series of lively presentations on local history, is returning to the Capitol Park Museum. The free, hour long program is designed for downtown workers and is held at noon each Wednesday in October. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own lunch and may come and go as their schedules require. The Louisiana State Museum friends make refreshments available for a small donation.

Capitol Park Museum
Wednesday, October 19, 12PM

Karen Waldrup and Ashlee K. Thomas at Boudreaux & Thibodeaux's
Karen Waldrup may look familiar, she is a Mandeville native who appeared on the Bravo TV show, "Platinum Hit," with Jewel. She also opened for Sara Evans this summer. Ashlee K. Thomas has spent the years traveling the world, exploring, practicing yoga, and sharing her music from Panama, Peru, and Mexico to India, Kauai, and throughout the United States, finding her audience and sharing Earthfolk music and Fireflow yoga with everyone she meets.

Boudreaux & Thibodeaux's
Thursday, October 20

First United Methodist Church Benefit Concert
This is a free concert with donations collected to go to help efforts to replace scholarships lost to state budget cuts. This is a significant, grassroots effort for the fundraising drive supported by First United Methodist Church, a major Baton Rouge congregation that like many churches close to LSU have close ties with the School of Music. These churches rely on music students to work as choral directors, choristers and in other roles to enhance the liturgical experience for their congregations. These students, who come from around the country and abroad, share what they are learning with church members each week and enrich the cultural life of these congregations as well.

First United Methodist Church
Sunday, October 23, 4PM

The 13th Gate & Necropolis 13
The 13th Gate is the ultimate haunted house! Journey through 13 very frightening themed indoor & (weather-permitting) outdoor areas where your worst nightmares come true and anything can happen.

To celebrate a decade of fright at The 13th Gate, Midnight Productions unveils its latest haunted creation, Necropolis 13! 40,000 sq ft and over 400 zombie-infested New Orleans style crypts located next to The 13th Gate! Tickets $20

832 St. Phillip Street
Thursday - Saturday
October 21 - 31, Every Night
Through October 31 6:30PM - 11:30PM

Team Hope Walk for Huntington's Disease
Huntington's Disease Society of America is calling for local support for the national walk initiative, Team Hope Walk for HD. Team Hope Walk for HD is a national movement to bring awareness and research funds to Huntington's Disease to make a difference in the lives of the many people suffering from this devastating disease.

Louisiana State Museum
Sunday, October 23, 2PM