It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Here’s all the ways to enjoy the holidays in Baton Rouge!
Dec. 1
Broadmoor’s Christmas Parade rolls down Goodwood Boulevard. 2-5 p.m. broadmoor-br.org
Dec. 8
Downtown’s Cortana Kiwanis Christmas Parade begins at River Road and ends near the State Capitol. 5:30-7 p.m. christmasinbr.com
Nov. 30
Downtown Baton Rouge gets decked out for its Festival of Lights with local art vendors, a snow village at River Center Plaza, Movies and Santa at the Old State Capitol, free ice skating and more holiday-themed festivities. 5-9 p.m. downtownbatonrouge.org
Dec. 1-2
Listen to live performances of jazz renditions of your favorite holiday tunes at “An Evening Of Holiday Jazz With George Bell & Friends at Manship Theatre.” 7:30 p.m. manshiptheatre.org
Dec. 2
• Celebrate the holidays like it’s the 1800s with the LSU Rural Life Museum’s A Rural Life Christmas, featuring historically accurate decorations and costumed re-enactors. 12:30-6 p.m. lsu.edu/rurallife
• Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra presents Home for the Holidays, a chorus and orchestra concert, at the LSU Union Theatre. 7-9 p.m. brso.org
Dec. 6
Hum along to nostalgic Christmas songs at the Christmas Wonderland Holiday Spectacular dance musical at the Raising Cane’s River Center. 7:30 p.m. raisingcanesrivercenter.com
The Bourbon Society of Baton Rouge is hosting their 4th Annual Christmas Outing at 7 pm on Dec 6 at Hayride Scandal. Attendees are requested to bring toy(s) or donate to Toys for Tots. Find the Bourbon Society of Baton Rouge on Facebook.
Dec. 6 + 9
Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra presents Holiday Brass, a two-part concert series, with a harp soloist and songs sung by Baton Rouge Magnet High School Festival Singers. Times and locations vary. brso.org
Dec. 7
• Have a laugh with a special Christmas edition of The Family Dinner Comedy Troupe’s Spoof Night at Manship Theatre. 7:30-9:30 p.m. manshiptheatre.org
• The Iberville Christmas Bonfire Festival at Nottoway Plantation features levee bonfires, live music and fireworks. 5-10 p.m. nottoway.com
Dec. 7-8
Opera Louisiane stages Amahl and the Night Visitors, a one-act opera about a boy’s selfless gift, at The Church International. operalouisiane.com
Dec. 7-9
Watch New Venture Theatre’s Black Nativity at LSU Shaver Theatre to see a performance of the classic nativity story told from an African-American perspective. Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. newventuretheatre.org
Dec. 7-16
• Playmakers’ production of Elf the Musical, Jr. comes to the Reilly Theatre. 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. playmakersbr.org
• Theatre Baton Rouge presents A Christmas Carol. 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. theatrebr.org
Dec. 11-12
Cool Winter Nights, Hot Jazz will feature jazz renditions of holiday favorites by Brian Shaw with Willis Delony and Bill Grimes from the LSU School of Music at the Manship Theatre. 7:30 p.m. manshiptheatre.org
Dec. 14-15
The ballet dancers of Cangelosi Dance Project stage a Holiday Nutcracker performance. Times vary. manshiptheatre.org
Dec. 15-16
The Baton Rouge Ballet puts on its production of The Nutcracker: Tales from the Bayou at Raising Cane’s River Center, complete with a live accompaniment by the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra. Note: The performances will take place in the River Center’s arena due to renovations in the theater space. 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. batonrougeballet.org
Dec. 15
Perkins Rowe will be alive with the sound of Baton Rouge bands and caroling during Santa Rocks the Rowe. 5-9 p.m. perkinsrowe.com
Dec. 20
Louisiana blues singer-songwriter Marc Broussard performs covers of holiday classics at his Mistletoe and Magnolias Holiday show at the Manship Theatre. 7:30 p.m. manshiptheatre.org
Dec. 27
The 9th annual Home for the Holidays acoustic show at Manship Theatre will showcase Louisiana singer-songwriters who currently work as musicians in Nashville. 7:30 p.m. manshiptheatre.org
Dec. 1-15
The Baton Rouge Arts Market ramps up its schedule for holiday shoppers. Find local wares downtown three Saturdays in a row. 8 a.m.-noon. artsbr.org
Dec. 3-7
The first-ever Downtown Arts Exchange opens at Main Street Market, with local vendors selling holiday gifts. If successful, the exchange may stay open longer. artsbr.org
Dec. 8
Participating Mid City residents and business owners welcome the public to their neighborhood for the annual Ogden Park Prowl art crawl. 1-5 p.m. ogdenparkprowl.org
Dec. 15
The Mid City Makers Market hosts a special expanded Christmas edition in celebration of its second anniversary. 4-8 p.m. midcitymakers.market
Now to Dec. 30
ZooLights will guide you past the Baton Rouge Zoo’s animals through a mile-long trail featuring 50 illuminated animal and holiday displays. 5:30-8 p.m. brzoo.org
Now to Jan. 1
Baton Rouge General’s second annual musically synchronized Holiday Lights display will brighten up a lot near the corner of Bluebonnet Boulevard and Picardy Avenue. brgeneral.org/holidaylights
All month
Celebration in the Oaks, neworleanscitypark.com
Now-Dec. 31
Audubon Zoo Light Showcase, audubonnatureinstitute.org
Dec. 20-31
NOLA ChristmasFest, nolachristmasfest.org
Dec. 2
Sonic Drive-In Christmas Parade, sonic-blast.com
Dec. 14
Home for Christmas concert, acadianasymphony.org
Dec. 31
New Year’s Noon Carnival & Countdown, childrensmuseumofacadiana.com
Dec. 2
• Free First Sunday means free entry to several Baton Rouge attractions. Use the opportunity to check out new works at the LSU Museum of Art and Louisiana Art & Science Museum, or visit the USS Kidd and Magnolia Mound Plantation—all for free! Check with each attraction for hours and additional information.
• The LSU Museum of Art hosts a Gallery Talk with LSU School of Art professor Malcolm McClay, whose exhibition, “Swimming to Inishkeel,” is on display all month. 2 p.m. The museum is also showcasing works from two other Louisiana names all month: mixed media artist Katrina Andry and the late George Rodrigue. lsumoa.org
• Colleen Kane, creator of the blog Abandoned Baton Rouge, hosts a book launch and presentation for Abandoned Baton Rouge: Stories from the Ruins at the Capitol Park Museum. 2 p.m. facebook.com/AbandonedBatonRouge
Dec. 6
The Healthcare Gallery & Wellness Spa hosts the artist reception for “Pupil,” a look at the current work of LSU School of Art students and graduates. The exhibition began in October and continues through Jan. 25 at the gallery. 5:30 p.m. spabatonrouge.com
Dec. 8
The Baton Rouge chapter of The National Alliance on Mental Illness hosts a reception for its exhibition, “The Mind’s Eye,” at the Arts Council’s Firehouse Gallery. The show features artwork made by people living with or affected by mental illness and all profits from sales go to the artist. 6 p.m. namibr.org
All month
The Louisiana Art & Science Museum honors its president and executive director Carol S. Gikas by showcasing her unique influence on the museum’s collection, including paintings, sculptures and drawings. The show closes Jan. 20. The museum is also featuring the kinetic art of New Orleans artist Lin Emery until Jan. 13. lasm.org
• Anderson East, the raspy-voiced blues singer from Alabama, performs at the Varsity Theatre. 7 p.m. varsitytheatre.com
• Legendary Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd takes the stage at Raising Cane’s River Center for its farewell tour. 7 p.m. raisingcanesrivercenter.com
• Baton Rouge bluesman Chris Thomas King performs with Eric Erdman at Dyson House Listening Room. 7 p.m. dysonhouselr.com
Dec. 8
Devin Dawson is a country singer-songwriter who gained traction with his Taylor Swift covers. Now, he takes The Texas Club stage. 7:30 p.m. thetexasclub.com
Dec. 15
New Orleans-born soul vocalist Aaron Neville performs at L’Auberge Casino & Hotel. 8 p.m. lbatonrouge.com
Dec. 15
The folk music showcase The Levee Road Revue performs with Sarah Burton at Dyson House Listening Room. 7 p.m. dysonhouselr.com
