Downtown lights up for the holidays

“Where else but Baton Rouge would they cancel a Christmas festival because of snow?” Baton Rouge Business Report Executive Editor JR Ball quipped at a banquet last week. There’s no snow in the forecast this week, so it looks like Baton Rouge will officially kick off the Christmas season downtown this Friday when half a million lights will sparkle to life at the Downtown Festival of Lights, followed by a riverside fireworks display. Carolers will stroll the streets, and there’ll be plenty to do and see—from an open house at the Old Governor’s mansion, to a children’s village. Watch local luminaries light the city’s 35-foot tall Christmas tree, and ice skate for free outside after you’ve browsed the bunches of Christmas crafts and displays. Free to the public, starting at 5 p.m. (Photo courtesy Downtown Development District)