JULY 4 Celebrate America. Honor our Armed Forces and veterans and remember the fallen at the U.S.S. Kidd during the Passing the Flag ceremony at 9 a.m. The July 4th celebrations continue at 2 p.m., featuring live music and children’s activities near the U.S.S. Kidd and culminating in fireworks over the Mississippi River that night. usskidd.com, downtownbatonrouge.org
JULY 4 Head to the Livingston Parish Fairgrounds for the Cajun Country Jam. The all-day family fun festival starts at 9 a.m. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. cajuncountryjam.com
JULY 10 Americana night. Hear infectious tunes and harmonies when acclaimed folk vocal trio Red Molly performs at the Manship Theatre. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 plus fees. manshiptheatre.org
JULY 11, 12, 25 and 26 The Louisiana Art & Science Museum hosts its monthly Kids’ Lab events. This time around, participants will see what they have in common with bananas. lasm.org
JULY 16-19 Chasing dreams.New Venture Theatre takes on the wildly popular musical Dreamgirls at Manship Theatre. The show is rated PG-13. Show times vary. Tickets are $25. manshiptheatre.org
JULY 18 Buddy’s back.Six-time Grammy winner Buddy Guy returns to Baton Rouge to perform his iconic blues guitar hits. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show begins at 8 p.m. at the L’Auberge Casino & Hotel Baton Rouge. Tickets are $65. lbatonrouge.com
JULY 24 Don’t miss this month’s edition of Movies and Music on the Lawn featuring Mel Brooks’ classic Silent Movie with a never-before-heard score from Trailer Hounds. The film starts at 8 p.m. or sundown, whichever is later. Admission is free for Baton Rouge Gallery members and $7 for nonmembers. batonrougegallery.org
JULY 25 Head to Baton Rouge Gallery for the 10/31 Consortium’s 5thannual Black and Orange Festival. The kickoff event starts at 7 p.m. and features announcements of the 2015 Halloween parade, a silent auction, food and music. Admission is $25 for members and $40 for non-members. 1031consortium.com
ON THE ROAD
LAFAYETTE
JULY 9-12:Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents Built to Amaze at the Cajundome. Shows are at 2 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Ticket prices vary. cajundome.com
JULY 13:Head to downtown and get a taste of Lafayette’s local artists and galleries in the latest edition of the monthly ArtWalk. 6 p.m. downtownlafayette.org
NEW ORLEANS
JULY 2-5:Jam with artists like Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige and Usher at the 2015 Essence Festival in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Ticket prices vary. essence.com/festival
JULY 13-18:Calling all spirits. Tales of the Cocktail is a five-day event featuring seminars, tastings, product launches, competitions and networking events—all about cocktails. Ticket prices vary depending on the day and event. talesofthecocktail.com
JULY 30:Frozen’s “Let it ne” singer Idina Menzel will perform live at the Saenger Theatre. The show starts at 8 p.m. Ticket prices vary. saengernola.com
ARTS BEST BETS
Daniel Kwan’s art. Courtesy LASM
JULY 4:Get a start to Independence Day at the Summer Arts Market downtown on Fifth Street between Main and Laurel streets. The mini festival showcases art, photography, woodwork, jewelry and more. The market is open 8 a.m.-noon. artsbr.org
JULY 5: Hear the stories behind the art. Baton Rouge Gallery welcomes new works from members Rosemary Goodell, April Hammock and Tom Richard with an ARTiculate talk, 4 p.m.-6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. batonrougegallery.org
JULY 11:Paper masterpieces. The Louisiana Art & Science Museum’s new exhibit “Folding Paper: The Infinite Possibilities of Origami” opens. To celebrate the opening, the museum will hold an Art After Hours event Thursday, July 16, 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Members get in free, $7 for nonmembers. lasm.org
JULY 18: Katrina, 10 years later. The West Baton Rouge Museum hosts a commemorative exhibit, “Holding Out and Hanging On: Surviving Hurricane Katrina” exploring the effects of Hurricane Katrina with photographs by Thomas Neff. Admission to the museum is $4 per person and $2 for students and seniors. westbatonrougemuseum.org
JULY 25: Feel the Love. The Pop Art Lovefest exhibit at The Healthcare Gallery spotlights Baton Rouge artists such as Gabriel Saint, Nathaniel Landry, Amanda James and Sarah G. The gallery is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday; 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. thehealthcaregallery.com
ALL MONTH:LSU students and faculty are showing off their art skills at the Student Union Art Gallery during the LSU Folks’ Arts & Crafts Show. Admission to the gallery is free. as.lsu.edu
MUSIC BEST BETS
George Porter Jr. Courtesy of Porter
JULY 2: Get Hazy. Local bands Burris and Hazy Ray will perform together at The Spanish Moon. Entry is $7. The doors open at 9 p.m.; music starts at 10 p.m. thespanishmoon.com
JULY 3:Funkin’ around. Mississippi-born blues singer Nellie Travis is bringing her earthy funk sound to the Belle of Baton Rouge. Admission is free. VIP tickets are $10. 8 p.m. belleofbatonrouge.com
JULY 10:Get jazzy with Dolo Jazz Suite at The Spanish Moon. Entry is $10. Doors open at 9 p.m. The concert starts at 10 p.m. thespanishmoon.com
JULY 11: Dance the Knight Away. Catch singer-songwriter Chris Knight in an acoustic performance with special guest Martin Flanagan at Manship Theatre. Tickets start at $39.50. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. manshiptheatre.org
JULY 17: George Porter Jr. and the Runnin’ Pardners are bringing their brand of funk music to The Varsity. Tickets are $15. Doors open at 8 p.m. varsitytheatre.com
JULY 25:Singer-songwriters Jodi James and Clay Parker bring their roots music to Red Dragon Listening Room. Tickets are $20-$30. Music starts at 8 p.m. reddragonlr.com
JULY 30:Brass Monkey. New Orleans-based band Sabotage brings a Beastie Boys tribute to The Varsity. Tickets are $15. 8 p.m. varsitytheatre.com
