Blending 300 years of history with culinary and creative spirit, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, isn’t just a place to revisit the old. With new additions and events on the horizon, there’s more than one reason to add this city to your 2024 travel list.
© Visit Baton Rouge
What better place to celebrate Mardi Gras than in Louisiana? Through Feb. 12, parades grace the streets of the city, with one particular parade, Spanish Town Mardi Gras Parade on Feb. 10, slated to be a highlight of the celebrations. In this parade, participants trade traditional Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold for pink.
© Visit Baton Rouge
The Baton Rouge Blues Festival
Held April 19–21, this free event in downtown Baton Rouge is one of the oldest blues fests in America, originally held on Southern University’s campus. The festival promotes, preserves and advances the city’s beloved swamp blues culture with a lineup including Black Joe Lewis, Charlie Musselwhite and Elvin Bishop.
On May 10, visitors can view original art, listen to live music and sample authentic eats up and down the 2.5-mile stretch of Government Street. The event represents businesses across Mid City, a celebrated and diverse region of Baton Rouge blending racial, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Baton Rouge’s Soul Food Festival
This family-friendly event features a soul food cooking contest accompanied by plenty of blues, soul, R&B, gospel and more. Running May 17–18, the event also features a Vendor’s Village.
© Visit Baton Rouge
100th Anniversary of LSU’s Tiger Stadium
Various events this year mark the 100th anniversary of the college football stadium. The anniversary is highlighted by events, stadium upgrades, storytelling initiatives and a season-long celebration throughout the year.
Origin Hotel © Visit Baton Rouge
New Hotels
Origin Hotel, opening this month, is an 89-room boutique hotel in downtown Baton Rouge. Here, guests can start their day with crawfish beignets and end it with a rooftop cocktail with views of Tiger Stadium. Also opening this year, Belle of Baton Rouge, Louisiana’s first riverboat casino, unveils its $100 million renovation, with updates including relocating the casino property to land, guestroom renovations and new dining options.
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