Baton Rouge Mardi Gras Festival Schedule and Pre-Party

BATON ROUGE (press release) –  The 13th Annual Baton Rouge Mardi Gras Festival, happening Saturday, Feb. 14, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at North Boulevard Town Square, announced its pre-party details, stage lineup and sponsors.

The pre-party is on Thursday, Feb. 12, from 7 p.m. until midnight at Henry Turner Jr.’s Listening Room and is a sneak peek at some of the talent scheduled to play on the Town Lawn Stage for the festival.

Admission is $30 and includes a buffet and a no-host bar. The venue is located at 2733 North St. Performers expected to appear are Henry Turner Jr. & Flavor, the Listening Room All-Stars and special guests.

Baton Rouge Mardi Gras Festival Details

The main festival features continuous live music, a vendor’s village and a food court. It’s family-friendly and free to the public. The venue is located at 222 North Blvd, with lawn seating. Bring chairs if desired.

The Baton Rouge Mardi Gras Festival lineup features blues, soul, R&B, reggae, jazz, pop/rock, contemporary Christian, spoken word and dance. Hosts are Kewin Fealing and Free Spirit. Performers are:

• Henry Turner Jr. & Flavor
• Listening Room All-Stars, including Ervin “Maestro” Foster and the Better Half Band
• Kelton ‘Nspire Harper
• King Solomon
• Princess Teha
• Celeste Marie Wilson
• Sysia Dnae

Returning favorites include:

• Phoenix Rouge Dance Troupe
• Big Queen Tanya Sylvas
• Uncle Chess
• SmokeHouse Porter and the Gut Bucket Blues band

Screenings of “We’re Going Down to the Mardi Gras: The Making of Henry Turner Jr.’s Mardi Gras Festival” will be shown at the River Center Library, located right next to the festival grounds, at 2, 3:30 and 5 p.m.

The 44-minute documentary is narrated by Turner and was produced by Michele Barnes for her Rebirth Shield Film Productions. For more information, including VIP packages with covered seating, food and drink tickets, call 225-802-9681 or visit www.batonrougemardigrasfestival.com.

Festival Schedule

• 10 – 10:30 a.m. Hosts: Kerwin Fealing and Free Spirit
• 10:30 – 11 a.m. Ervin “Maestro” Foster and The My Better Half Band (Smooth Jazz)
• 11:15 – 11:35 a.m. Dixie Rose (Folk)
• 11:50 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. Kelton ‘Nspire Harper (Motivational)
• 12:15 – 12:45 p.m. King Solomon (Blues)
• 1 – 1:30 p.m. Sysia DeNae (R&B)
• 1:45 – 2:10 p.m. Uncle Chess (R&B/Soul)
• 2:20 – 2:50 p.m. Celeste Marie Wilson (Pop)
• 3 – 3:45 p.m. Henry Turner Jr. & Flavor (Blues/Soul/Reggae) with Big Queen Tonya Bell Sylvas
• 4 -4:20 p.m. Phoenix Rouge Dance Troupe (Belly Dancing)
• 4:30 – 5 p.m. Rodney Gipson (Jazz)
• 5:15 – 5:45 p.m. Princess Teha (Contemporary Christian)
• 6 – 6:30 p.m. SmokeHouse Porter and the Gut Bucket Blues Band (Blues)

*All times approximate. Lineup subject to change.

The event is presented by Henry Turner Jr.’s Listening Room Museum Foundation, a 501(C)3 non-profit organization. Sponsors are Visit Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish Library, River Center Branch, WBRZ, Ch. 2 and its family of stations, Lamar Advertising of Baton Rouge, Blue Runner, Cutting Edge and Vernon W. Thomas, Esq.