April 7-8
Head to the West Baton Rouge Soccer Complex for the 14th Annual Kite Fest Louisiane. Free. westbatonrouge.net
April 7-8
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April 2018 calendar of events
April 7-8
Head to the West Baton Rouge Soccer Complex for the 14th Annual Kite Fest Louisiane. Free. westbatonrouge.net
April 7-8
BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo hosts its annual Zippity Zoo Fest with keeper chats, a children’s inflatables village, live music, a photo contest, an EdZooCation station and more. Regular zoo admission applies. brzoo.org
April 14
If you pass by The Color Run on race day and witness the clouds of colored paint in the air, you might wonder if it’s a wild concert. Nope.This is just a 5k. The race starts at the State Capitol and snakes all over downtown Baton Rouge as runners dressed in white tees are showered with different colors along the way. Be sure to wash a load of whites before race day. 9 a.m.-noon. thecolorrun.com
The LSU Rural Life Museum hosts the 14th Annual Zapp’s International Beerfest. Ticket prices vary. 3:30-6 p.m. lsu.edu/rurallife
April 18
Tell your mother; tell your father. Florida-based alternative rock band Shinedown’s spring tour hits the Raising Cane’s River Center with opener Starset. You might want to call upon the simple man to grab tickets now; you may not get a second chance. 7:30 p.m. ticketmaster.com
April 19
Enjoy a one-of-a-kind dining experience at Gourmet in the Garden, surrounded by the lush greenery of the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens. Taste delicious creations from Baton Rouge chefs and mixologists as you stroll through the gardens. $60. 6-9 p.m. lsu.edu/botanic-gardens
April 20-21
Grab your hiking boots and get ready for 24 hours of science in nature. BREC’s 2018 Bioblitz at Greenwood Community Park gives you a scientist’s view of the birds, reptiles, amphibians, plants and insects that live in the park as you document as many species you see as possible. Free. Register for special activities in advance. brec.org
April 21
Treat yourself and your pet to a glamourous night out and support Companion Animal Alliance at its annual Fur Ball at the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center. Enjoy an open bar, live music, silent auction, pet spa and photo opportunities as you wait for the 2018 Fur Ball King and Queen to be announced. 6:30-10:30 p.m. furballbr.org
BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo is all about conservation and education. Celebrate Earth Day Weekend at Party for the Planet with entertainment, zookeeper chats, animal enrichments and fun for the whole family. Regular zoo admission applies. 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. brzoo.org
Ready to learn something new about the stars? Enjoy hands-on astronomy stations, displays and special planetarium shows as the Louisiana Art & Science Museum hosts a special event for National Astronomy Day. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. lasm.org
April 24-28
Science, technology and art come together at the Red Stick International Digital Festival held at LSU’s Digital Media Center and the Main Library at Goodwood. The four-day event celebrates digital media with maker-fairs, digital art exhibits, music, games and more. Free. redstickfestival.org
April 29
Celebrate Louisiana Earth Day at LSU’s Parker Coliseum with fun-filled and informational activities for all ages. Noon-5 p.m. laearthday.org
April 7
Wanderlust 108 triathlon, wanderlust.com
April 12-15
French Quarter Festival, fqfi.org
April 17-22
Broadway Across America presents Rent at the Saenger Theatre, saengernola.com
April 21
Crawfish for Cancer’s 1st Annual New Orleans Boil at Mardi Gras World, crawfishforcancer.org
April 27 – May 6
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, nojazzfest.com
April 14
The Big Easel Art Festival, riverranchdev.com
Southern Board Game Festival, southerngamefest.com
April 20 – 26
The 19th Annual Dewey Balfa Cajun & Creole Heritage Week, lafolkroots.org
April 25 – 29
Festival International de Louisiane, festivalinternational.org
ARTS: BEST BETS
April 7
Opera Louisiane takes to the sea with the Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera H.M.S. Pinafore at the Baton Rouge River Center Theatre.
7:30 p.m. operalouisiane.com
April 12-15
LSU Opera presents The Cunning Little Vixen, Leoš Janáček’s fairy-tale masterpiece, at the Shaver Theatre on LSU’s campus. lsu.edu/cmda
April 13-14
Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre hosts Cinderella at the River Center Theatre April 13 at 7:30 p.m. and April 14 at 2 p.m. batonrougeballet.org
April 15
Baton Rouge Gallery welcomes Houston-based poet Randall Watson as part of its free Sundays@4 series. Watson will read from his latest work, The Geometry of Wishes, which features cover art from BRG artist member Jacqueline Dee Parker. 4-5:30 p.m. batonrougegallery.org
April 19
Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra presents “The Promises of Springtime,” celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of composer Leonard Bernstein, with guest narrator Skip Bertman, former LSU Athletics Director. 7:30-9:30 p.m. brso.org
April 20 – May 6
Theatre Baton Rouge presents It’s Only a Play, a comedic tale that follows a group of anxious playmakers on opening night as they await the reviews for their new production. American Sign Language performance will be April 29. theatrebr.org
April 26 – 29
Playmakers of Baton Rouge presents The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales. Families will get to follow these familiar fairy-tale characters through their new and hilarious adventures. playmakersbr.org
April 28
Manship Theatre hosts the Forward Arts All Teen Poetry Slam Finals as part of the All City Teen Poetry Slam Festival, which runs April 18-28. 6 p.m. forwardarts.org
Opening this month
The LSU Museum of Art welcomes a new photo and video exhibition from Carrie Mae Weems, “The Usual Suspects,” focusing on black stereotypes and criminality. Weems, a MacArthur “Genius” award winner, will give a lecture at the LSU School of Art April 11. On April 12, Weems will participate in the opening of the LSU Museum exhibit with a gallery tour. The exhibit will continue through Oct. 14. You can also catch the museum’s other new exhibition, the surrealist “Robert Williams: Slang Aesthetics,” now through June 17. lsumoa.org
MUSIC: BEST BETS
April 5
Moon Taxi returns to Baton Rouge with special guest Luthi at the Varsity Theatre. 8 p.m. varsitytheatre.com
April 7
Mid City Ballroom hosts blues musician Alvin ‘Youngblood’ Hart’s Muscle Theory. 8:30 p.m. midcityballroom.com
April 11
The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge presents The River City Jazz Masters Series with the Brad Mehldau Trio at Manship Theatre. 7:30 p.m. manshiptheatre.org
April 12
Catch a special performance from country music star Wynonna & The Big Noise at the Manship Theatre’s Red Carpet Gala with complimentary food and drink. 6:30 p.m. manshiptheatre.org
April 18
Red Dragon Productions presents Austin singer/songwriter Bob Schneider in concert at the Manship Theatre. 7:30 p.m. manshiptheatre.org
April 27
Spanish Moon hosts the Time & Space Tour with headliner Turnstile and guests Touche Amore, Culture Abuse and Razor Abuse. 6:30 p.m. thespanishmoon.com
