Outdoor concerts, “Discover Days” that feature free admission to downtown attractions, and a birthday party with cake are some of the events that will be held this summer in honor of East Baton Rouge Parish’s 200th birthday.
The bicentennial events scheduled by Mayor-President Melvin “Kip” Holden, the Metro Council, the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge and local sponsors include an outdoors concert every Friday evening from June 2 through July 23. Like the popular Live After Five concerts that are held in the spring and fall, the new Sounds of Summer concerts will be held on Fridays from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. in Galvez Plaza.
In addition to the Sounds of Summer concerts, the celebration will include two Discover Baton Rouge Days (Sunday, June 6 and Saturday, July 10) with free admission to a variety of downtown museums and attractions, free music concerts in Lafayette Park and a free screening of the family film, Babe, at 3:00 p.m. in the Manship Theatre. More Discover Baton Rouge Day activities are being scheduled at this time.
In addition, the Mayor, the Metro Council and The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge will also host special cake-cutting to celebrate East Baton Rouge’s 200th birthday at the Pennington Balloon Festival on Friday, Aug. 6. The bicentennial sponsors will provide music at the Balloon festival both Friday, Aug. 6 and Saturday, Aug. 7..
The bicentennial events will observe the 200th birthday of East Baton Rouge Parish, which was created in 1810 after Fulwar Skipwith and Philemon Thomas led 70 men from St. Francisville to Baton Rouge, captured a Spanish fort there, and declared the city’s independence from Spain.
On December 22, 1810, Governor William Claiborne formally divided the County of Feliciana into six Parishes: the Parish of Feliciana, the Parish of East Baton Rouge, the Parish of St. Helena, the Parish of St. Tammany, the Parish of Biloxi and the Parish of Pascagoula.
EBR Bicentennial Concert Schedule
June 4 – Sounds of Summer – Lil Malcom and the House Rockers (Zydeco)
June 6 – Discover BR Day/ Sunday in the Park + Film - Ben Bell and the Stardust Boys (Western Rockabilly)
June 11 - Sounds of Summer - Bonerama (New Orleans Brass Funk)
June 18 - Sounds of Summer - Mia Bordens (R&B, Pop)
June 25 - Sounds of Summer - Big Sam’s Funky Nation (Funk)
July 2 - Sounds of Summer - Herman Jackson and his Big Band (Jazz, R&B)
July 9 – Sounds of Summer - Eric Lindell (Soul & Funk)
July 10 – Discover BR w/concert - 484 South (Southern Rock)
July 16 – Sounds of Summer - After8 (R&B, Funk)
July 23 – Sounds of Summer - Marcia Ball (Swamp Rock, Blues)
August 6 – Pennington Balloon Festival - Cake-cutting, Music to be announced.
August 7 – Pennington Balloon Festival - Music to be announced.
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Note: Sounds of Summer Friday concerts are from 5 – 8 p.m. at Galvez Plaza: Discover BR Days Sunday and Saturday events are from 12 – 3 p.m. at Lafayette Park
