Downtown lights up for the holidays

Baton Rouge will officially kick off the Christmas season downtown this Friday night when half a million lights 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 at the Shaw Center, and ice skate for free outside after you’ve browsed the bunches of Christmas crafts and displays. Free to the public starting at 4 p.m. and ending at 9 p.m.