Baton Rouge will celebrate the 2014 New Year with a Times Square-style event called Red Stick Revelry, Mayor-President Kip Holden announced Wednesday at a news conference.
“Baton Rouge is the perfect place to celebrate the end of a great year and ring in a new one,” Holden said.
Local companies joined forces with Holden to sponsor the event, which will take place in the heart of downtown Baton Rouge.
Revelry attendees will be able to enjoy live music at the new Galvez Plaza stage from Phat Hat, a popular local band.
One main feature of the evening is a 9-foot, low-energy LED red stick light sculpture that will be dropped at midnight — similar to the Times Square Ball. Attached to the stick will be an 8-foot aluminum acrylic ring with “Baton Rouge” illuminating from within the LED lighting.
Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers founder and CEO Todd Graves said that the Raising Cane’s family is looking forward to a great party.
“It’s a great vision and we are glad to be a part of it,” Graves said. “When the mayor approached us about the event, we said ‘Sounds like one hell of a party, we’re in.’” As of now, sponsors include Raising Cane’s, Mockler Beverage, Last-In Concepts, Coca-Cola Baton Rouge Bottling Company, Belle of Baton Rouge Casino and Hotel and Visit Baton Rouge in addition to the city’s Downtown Development District, Downtown Business Association and the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge.
Belle of Baton Rouge Casino and Hotel General Manager Patrick Browne said this celebration will bring the community together and give a joyful start to the new year.
“This is going to be a destination event,” said President and CEO of Visit Baton Rouge Paul Arrigo. “We are going to have people coming from out of town to stay here for New Year’s Eve. We are going to flood this place.”