Art for everyone! – FestForAll brings the arts to audiences of all ages

Spring is finally here, and along with the warm air and seasonal allergies comes a yearly celebration to delight local art lovers of all kinds: FestForAll. A Red Stick tradition since 1974, FestForAll is a two-day smorgasbord of visual art, music and children’s entertainment in downtown Baton Rouge. The festival, put on by the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, features 14 musical acts spanning diverse genres, from Funkin’ with Friends to Brad Walker’s jazz quintet and the Stooges Brass Band, as well as the original fine arts and crafts of more than 90 jury-selected regional artists, in media that include photography, pottery, jewelry, woodwork and more.

Katherine Scherer, acting director of the Arts Council, says FestForAll makes the arts accessible to everyone, including even the youngest patrons. A highlight of FestForAll is the Children’s Village on the grounds of the Old State Capitol, offering a wide variety of kid-friendly entertainment options such as music lessons, stilt-walkers, storytellers, puppeteers, carnival games and hands-on art activities.

The festival’s creative footprint spans from the grounds near the Shaw Center to the Old State Capitol and on to North Boulevard Town Square and the redesigned Galvez Plaza. Scherer says that this area’s improvements provide the “perfect backdrop” for the festival. “We love the green space and the media beacon displaying information about the festival all weekend,” she says.

FestForAll is labor-intensive to host, but Scherer says it is well worth it. “We have a dedicated committee who helps us plan everything from the Children’s Village to the volunteers who sell beverage tickets,” Scherer says. “We put a lot of work into the planning process, but it all pays off on Saturday morning when the music starts playing and the festival comes alive!”

FestForAll is April 6-7, with music, art and events spanning from the Old State Capitol to North Boulevard Town Square and the Shaw Center. artsbr.org