ART OUR PAST RETELLING EVENTS & FESTIVALS BLACK HISTORY CELEBRATING

Creativity is a big part of Baton Rouge’s history and culture. Experience some of the most influential art around the city, both inspired and created by Black artists and icons.

In Baton Rouge, celebration is always in season. From festivals and food to historical observances, join our city in celebrating the influence and importance of African American culture all year-round.

Baton Rouge

Soul Food Festival

Two jam-packed days filled with good music, good company, and some of the best soul food in the South.

Juneteenth

A weekend of celebration ranging from lively parades to impactful discussions, as we come together to commemorate the official end of slavery in America.

Murals by The Walls Project

The Walls Project partners with local artists, painting vibrant and inspirational murals in underserved and underinvested communities across the city in an effort to be a catalyst for change and a point of pride.

Legendary Louisiana sculptor Frank Hayden was inspired to create by friends and family, his Christian values, and commitment to civil rights. You can find his work all across downtown Baton Rouge.

Baton Rouge Blues Fest

Started in 1981, the Baton Rouge Blues Festival has become one of the nation’s fastest growing festivals of its kind, with tens of thousands in attendance every year.

Scotland Saturdays

A lively market in North Baton Rouge that gives local makers and creators a place to sell their goods and locals a chance to gather together and experience the arts in community.

Essence Fest

Southern University Museum of Art

Located on Southern’s campus, this museum and its collection of four galleries are dedicated to African American pioneer artists who fought and won the battle for artistic freedom.

Downtown MLK Monument

This monument is one of the only abstract art pieces in the country that honors Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his impact on civil rights, which we still feel today.

Black History Month

From the nation's very first bus boycott to Southern students marching to the State Capitol, celebrate Black History Month with iconic moments in civil rights history across Baton Rouge.

Krewe of Oshun Parade & Festival

This celebration brings Mardi Gras to North Baton Rouge with the first parade organized by an African American organization since Zulu started in the 1930s.

Black Restaurant Week

Celebrate the Black influence on the food we love and support Black-owned small businesses around the city.

Southern Football Season

Whether it’s The Human Jukebox, tailgate food or football itself, rep your blue & gold regardless of what brings you to town and cheer on the Jaguars all football season long.

Just down the road in New Orleans, Essence Fest is the largest African American music and culture festival in the country that welcomes travelers from across the world to celebrate Black excellence and culture.