Oct. 5
Grab your boots, cowboy hat and leather jacket, because the Federales Fest is coming to town. This local country music and rock ‘n’ roll fest is back for its second year with a killer lineup of local, regional and national artists at Live Oak @ Cedar Lodge. federalesfest.com
Oct. 5 + 6
Grow your garden or grab a houseplant at Plantfest! hosted at The LSU Hilltop Arboretum. Browse thousands of leafy friends like native trees, blooming flowers and ornamental grasses. lsu.edu/hilltop
Oct. 6
Celebrate the sugarcane harvest at the West Baton Rouge Museum’s SugarFest. Enjoy a sweet day filled with traditional folk art, museum exhibits, sugarcane demos and more. westbatonrougemuseum.org
Oct. 17
Competing teams will stir the pots at Capital Area United Way’s Jambalaya Jam. Swing by to pick up lunch, get your fill at an all-you-can-eat dinner or work up your appetite in the cornhole tournament. cauw.org/jamjam
Oct. 17-19
Knock out your holiday shopping at the Junior League Baton Rouge’s annual Hollydays event. The Raising Cane’s River Center will turn into a full-blown market full of local vendors offering gifts and wares. juniorleaguebr.org/fundraisers/hollydays
Oct. 19+20
Formerly known as Henry Turner Jr. Day, A Taste of the Deep South Festival gives attendees two days to soak up local art and live music. Set up a comfy spot at Galvez Plaza to hear everything from blues to reggae. htjday.com
Oct. 19-20+26-27
Round up the kiddos and get their cutesy costumes ready for a day of wild Halloween activities at Boo at the Zoo. Snap away with themed photo backdrops to capture the memories of the day, or take a stroll through the pumpkin patch. brzoo.org
Oct. 24-27
Zombies, vampires, clowns and more will roam the streets at the annual Fifolet Halloween Festival organized by local nonprofit 10/31 Consortium. The wickedly packed weekend includes a pub crawl, parade, costume ball and more. 1031consortium.com/fifolet
Arts Agenda
All month
Get your jam on with two local outdoor concert opportunities. Rock N Rowe takes place every Thursday at Perkins Rowe Town Square with acts like The Remnants, Phat Hat and more. Over in downtown, end your weekends with one of Sunday in the Park’s live shows featuring Sugar Shaker, Hannah PK, James Dupré and more at the Shaw Center for the Arts Plaza. perkinsrowe.com/rocknrowe and artsbr.org
Step back into the time of Ancient Egypt and excavate a bit of history with Lousiana Art & Science Museum’s “Discoveries on the Nile” exhibit. This gilded collection features authentic funerary masks along with certified replicas of artifacts found in King Tutankhamun’s tomb. To celebrate the regal exhibit, LASM’s Oct. 4 gala will focus on the theme “Party in the Valley of the Kings.” lasm.org
Oct. 5
Meander through a sea of tents at Perkins Rowe as local creatives pop up with their handmade art, jewelry, pottery and more for the Perkins Rowe Arts Fest. Want to take a break from shopping? Find a spot on the lawn to listen to all-day live music or participate in activities suited for all ages. perkinsrowe.com/artsfest
Oct. 10
Indie pop three-piece Cannons brings its Los Angeles sound to the other LA with a show at Chelsea’s Live. The band will take its “The Heartbeat Highway Tour” to Baton Rouge playing all the hits like “Fire for You,” “Loving You” and more. chelseaslive.com
Oct. 11
Forget the pretzels and steins. It’s time to go bach to the classics with Baton Rouge Symphony’s Bachtoberfest. Stash your favorite drinks and snacks in a picnic basket to enjoy while listening to the outdoor performance. brso.org
Oct. 11, 18 + 25
Grab your lawn chairs and blankets, and head downtown for the fall edition of Live After Five. Expect a stacked list of local musicians and bands playing different genres of music like Southern Avenue featuring The Chloe Marie Band, Lil’ Nathan & The Zydeco Big Timers and the Southdown Souls featuring Chris LeBlanc. downtownbr.org
Oct. 19
Creativity runs wild at the Main Library at Goodwood for its Baton Rouge Maker Faire. Scientists, artists, tinkerers and builders will be able to craft and show off their inventions, hobbies and projects. batonrouge.makerfaire.com
On the road
New Orleans
Oct. 4-6: Gretna Fest, gretnafest.com
Oct. 5-6: National Fried Chicken Festival, friedchickenfestival.com
Oct. 19: Krewe of BOO! Parade, kreweofboo.com
Acadiana
FRIDAYS + SATURDAYS: Fright Trail, frighttrail.com
Oct. 11-13: Semi-Annual Antique Fair & Yard Sale, oldschoolhouseantiquemall.com
Oct. 12 + 13: World Championship Gumbo Cookoff, iberiachamber.org/gumbo-cookoff
This article was originally published in the October 2024 issue of 225 Magazine.