Don’t want to drive to the Big Easy for Jazz Fest this weekend? Baton Rouge’s very own FestForAll has something for everyone, from music, dancers and a Yo-Yo champion to an art extravaganza featuring 60 artists from Louisiana and 11 other states.
After a five-year hiatus, FestForAll, which was created 30 years ago to promote race relations, will return to the Baton Rouge community. Started in 1973 by the Mayor’s office and The Arts Council, the Convention and Visitors Bureau took over the festival and shelved it in 1998. The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, a non-profit organization locally sponsored and financed by grants, is reviving the Baton Rouge tradition and plans to make it better than ever.
FestForAll will be held downtown May 3 and 4 and features many different venues for musicians and artists to display their talents. The Louisiana Gumbo Stage at Galvez Plaza will include local musicians The Benjy Davis Project, Mitch Landry and the Cajun Ramblers, Righteous Buddha and many others, such as The Redstick Ramblers.
The Blues stage on North Boulevard will spotlight Baton Rouge’s blues heritage Saturday with acts such as Henry Gray, Raful Neal and many more. The stage will evolve into a jazz and gospel program Sunday when the Southern University Jazz Students, the Herman Jackson Trio and the Greater King David Mass Choir will grace the stage.
Katherine Scherer, director of arts and cultural programs for the Greater Baton Rouge Arts Council, said FestForAll’s correlation with the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is deliberate.
“Jazz Fest isn’t the only show in town; the Festival de International in Lafayette was last weekend, and with FestForAll in Baton Rouge this weekend, we have a number of great festivals all within 125 miles,” she said
Whether LSU students will forego the drive to New Orleans, where acts such as Widespread Panic and India.Arie will be performing on the days of FestForAll will present a dilemma for some. Hicks Winters, a general studies senior, said he is undecided whether to stay in town or go to Jazz Fest.
“It seems strange they would have it on the same weekend; the big acts are in New Orleans,” he said. “More people will probably go to New Orleans and hurt FestForAll’s attendance.”
Scherer said students should consider FestForAll as an inexpensive alternative to the pricey tickets and cramped crowds of Jazz Fest.
“We’re not just music; we have artists from around Louisiana and from states like New Mexico coming to our festival, and the average student might not get the chance to see an artist from New Mexico again,” she said. “FestForAll also will feature all of the best local restaurants and caterers. It’s a lot of entertainment, the best local bands and great food for not a lot of money.”
The Senate Chamber of the Old State Capitol will be home to the Art Invitational and other events, such as a Children’s Village featuring storytellers, puppeteers and other hands-on activities for children. The Secretary of State’s office is planning a grand finale for the festival, including military flybys, a larger-than-life flag and skydivers.
Scherer encourages students to come out and sample the music, food and artistry the festival has to offer.
“It’s a tremendous lineup, and it’s all free,” she said.