Celebrate the Capital Region’s culture this week with 225 Day events around Baton Rouge.
In recent years, viral social media posts and local organizations have dubbed Feb. 25 (or 02/25) as 225 Day, with the biggest celebration taking place during 225 Fest. The festival was created in 2023, paying homage to the Capital Region’s food, music, art and more. Since its creation, the event has grown to a two-day event with 32,000 people in attendance last year.
Because Feb. 25 falls on Tuesday this year, the main festival is scheduled for this Saturday and Sunday, March 1–2, to give everyone in the community a chance to go out and celebrate.
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Founder Myra Richardson says she launched the festival to shine a light on what makes Baton Rouge unique.
“I just saw that there was a tone in our community where a lot of us talk down on Baton Rouge,” Richardson says. “I just saw a need for us to talk positively, especially if we wanted to attract talent and maintain talent.”
This year, the festival has been expanded to a two-day event and will move from downtown Baton Rouge to BREC’s Airline Highway Park. These changes were made to accommodate the ongoing Mardi Gras parades rolling through the downtown area, as well as to expand for the expected crowd. With 18,000 people already preregistered to attend, Richardson says the crowd is expected to be even bigger than last year’s.
“That’s the most important part for us, to make sure that families have the space and the safety,” Richardson says. “We’re doing our due diligence to just make sure it’s a very top experience.”
The free, family-friendly event will feature everything from art walks and food trucks to a kids zone, small business vendors and live entertainment. Food vendors include Smoke Bayou, Empire Wingz, Street Food Munchies, Elisa’s Cuban Coffee and Kitchen, and other local concepts. Musical acts include Max Minelli, Vince Hutchinson & Friends, Snug, DJ KICKS and more.
“We really just wanted to bring together all of the elements, the nostalgia, the things that people love about the Capital Region together on one day in one street festival-style experience,” Richardson says.
And the weekend festival is not stopping the 225 Fest creators and other local organizations from celebrating on the big day, either.
Richardson and team will also host the 225 Day: Official Kick-Off Day Party at Red Stick Social on Tuesday, Feb. 25, to keep the tradition of celebrating 225 Day going.
“We’ll never want to give up 225 Day, obviously because that’s the infancy of our name,” Richardson says.
Tickets for the kick-off party give attendees access to Red Stick Social’s five floors of entertainment, featuring DJs, bowling and more. The 225 Fest committee will also honor former mayor Sharon Weston Broome and the work she has done for the city.
The Baton Rouge Area Chamber will also host a 225 Day celebration at Chelsea’s Live on Tuesday, Feb. 25. The event will coincide with BRAC’s annual meeting and aims to encourage board members, investors and the public to celebrate the region. The celebration will feature a make-your-own BTR hat station, a Baton Rouge ukulele player and a chance to hear about the work BRAC has done in the region.
“It’s going to be a fun day, just kind of celebrating all that’s better in Baton Rouge,” says Morgan Almeida, BRAC senior vice president of marketing. “It’s honestly just going be a fun day where we can all gather and kind of mark the day together.”
BRAC is also encouraging local businesses to celebrate 225 Day in their own way as a part of its Better in BTR campaign. BRAC launched the initiative last year to highlight the good things in Baton Rouge and to build a “better BTR” through revitalization projects.
The area chamber aims to get the community involved by inviting businesses to celebrate 225 Day through simple things like lighting their businesses in red for the Red Stick, giving out 225 cookies to customers and even organizing volunteer days for their employees.
“Part of 225 Day is hopefully really expanding this Better in BTR brand and helping it become a true community brand,” Almeida says. “By doing that, we want businesses to put their own spin on what 225 Day means to them.”
BRAC also hopes to get local businesses involved with 225 Day and their community campaign through its open kit. The resource provides a collection of customizable designs and motifs that local businesses can adapt to spread the Better in BTR brand.
“The possibilities of it are absolutely limitless, which I think is special,” Almeida says. “It’s like taking this community brand and putting your own organizational spin on what that means to you.”
Where to celebrate 225 Day
225 Day: Official Kick-Off Day Party at Red Stick Social
1503 Government St.
Tuesday, Feb. 25, from 4–9 p.m. Tickets start at $10 for general admission and go up to $50 for VIP access. Find more info here.
225 Day at Chelsea’s Live
1010 Nicholson Drive
Tuesday, Feb. 25, from 5–8 p.m. This event is free to attend and for those ages 18 and up. Find more info here.
225 Day: A Celebration of Baton Rouge Hip Hop and Culture at Brickyard South
174 South Blvd.
Tuesday, Feb. 25, starting at 9 p.m. This event is free to attend and for those ages 21 and up. Find more info here.
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225 Fest at BREC’s Airline Highway Park
16072 Airline Highway
Saturday and Sunday, March 1–2, from 1–6 p.m. This event is free to attend. Find more info here.
Did we miss a 225 Day celebration? Let us know by emailing [email protected].