Here comes Santa Claus
Kris Kringle is taking a break from his North Pole duties to spend some time at Perkins Rowe. Families can find jolly St. Nick in front of the Cinemark Theatre throughout December. To welcome the festive guests, Perkins Rowe will also host themed events like Pet Night with Santa, Purple and Gold Night with Santa, Jingle Barre with Santa and more. perkinsrowe.com
Let it shine
Both BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo and Baton Rouge General are shimmering with their annual holiday light displays this season. Have a wild time at Zoo Lights, or head over to Picardy Avenue for a dazzling stroll through the hospital’s free Holiday Lights. brzoo.org and brgeneral.org
There are plenty of spots around town to spot Mr. Claus this season, and one of them is the senate chamber in Louisiana’s Old State Capitol. Head over to the historic downtown castle for Santa in the Senate, an event with activities and, of course, photo ops. louisianaoldstatecapitol.org
Get into a festive mood at the Festival of Lights, an annual event that rings in the holiday season downtown. Put together by the Downtown Development District and the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, this display includes a tree lighting, a fireworks show and a visit from Santa. Downtown businesses also get into the holiday spirit by staying open for the event and offering specials. downtownbatonrouge.org
Step back into the 19th century and celebrate the holidays at A Rural Life Christmas. Hosted by the LSU Rural Life Museum, this event is full of historically accurate activities complete with artisans, storytellers and reenactors. As the sun sets, guests are invited to take a stroll through the Windrush Gardens, which have been lit up for the new Louisiana Lights display. lsu.edu/rurallife
Need to check off some names on your holiday gift list? Head to Tanger Outlets in Gonzales for Baton Rouge Winter Wonderland Craft & Vendor Market. Enjoy holiday treats while shopping from local vendors to find stocking stuffers and presents for under the tree. hometownvendormarket.com
Grab the magnifying glass and put on your detective hat for Clue Night at downtown’s speakeasy, The Tunnel. Solve puzzles and uncover secrets while enjoying a cocktail or two. thetunnelbr.com
Hear a festive mix of jazzy holiday classics and new arrangements at Cool Winter Nights & Hot Jazz at Manship Theatre. This annual concert promises two evenings of smooth music performed by local musicians and a jazz ensemble. manshiptheatre.org
LSU Museum of Art is hosting a Public Exhibition Celebration to show off two of its newest exhibits: “In a New Light: American Impressionism 1870–1940, Works from the Bank of America Collection” and “Rembrandt, Goya, and Dürer: The Marvel of Old Masters.” See the famous works, hear gallery discussions and enjoy refreshments at the free event. lsumoa.org
Didn’t get to see the Piano Man during his Madison Square Garden residency? It’s OK—the sweet sounds of Billy Joel will be bumping at L’Auberge Casino Hotel this month courtesy of tribute band Turnstiles. Hear all of Joel’s greatest hits like “Uptown Girl,” “Vienna” and “Just the Way You Are.” lbatonrouge.com
Watch the work of local creatives and filmmakers at the third annual Listening Room Film Festival held at Henry Turner Jr.’s Listening Room. Music videos, short films, documentaries and features will be shown, with panel discussions to follow. Find it on Facebook
The queen of New Orleans bounce music is bringing an energetic show to Chelsea’s Live. Big Freedia’s Christmas with the Queen Diva tour is making a stop in Baton Rouge for a festive show featuring special guest Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph. chelseaslive.com
The traveling cast of Chicago the Musical is ready to bring some razzle-dazzle and a shimmy-filled story of two murderesses vying for fame and fortune to Baton Rouge. Watch the feud between Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart play out to the musical’s hits like “All That Jazz” and “Cell Block Tango.” raisingcanesrivercenter.com
Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra and its chorus will prepare a medley of carols and holiday movie songs for its annual performance, Home for the Holidays. Sing along to festive hits and hear the melodies that play in the background of classics like The Polar Express, Home Alone and more. brso.org
The Manship Theater premieres The Hunt for ‘Swamp Cows,’ a new environmental documentary by local filmmaker Oscar Tickle. (Editor’s note: Tickle is the Multimedia Editor for Melara Enterprises, 225‘s parent company.) The documentary follows Tickle and his team on their adventure across intracoastal Louisiana in search for the elusive “Swamp Cows.” Alongside the documentary, artist Claudine Diamond will sell cow-themed art. A Q&A with the director and cast will follow the showing. manshiptheatre.org
Dec. 3-8: Elf, saengernola.com
Dec. 22: Caroling in Jackson Square, patioplanters.net
Dec. 31: Big Night New Orleans New Year’s Eve, bignightneworleans.com
Dec. 6-8 + 13-15: An Acadiana Christmas Carol, citedesarts.org/shows
Dec. 13-15: Christmas in the Park, moncuspark.org
Dec. 14: Lafayette Sugar Plum Market, cajundome.com/events
This article was originally published in the December 2024 issue of 225 Magazine.
