Goodbye and good delivery, 2021. And in 2021, we count on you. After tumultuous 365 days, the hope that this new year brings is always important to reflect and celebrate. Just remember to wear the mask and social distance when you do and of course drink responsibly.
Due to pandemic restrictions, Baton Rouge’s main New Year’s Eve party, Red Stick Revelry, becomes virtual along with BRSO & Bubbles, the tasting and champagne concert of the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra. Check it out with your favorite bar or nightclub, as there are several on December 31st that organize celebrations with limited seats and tickets only.
Be safe and happy 2021.
Red Stick Revelry
In search of a cheerful side, the city of Baton Rouge bills its New Year’s Eve party as an opportunity to “see the Red Stick fall wherever it is.”
Installed 60 feet above North Boulevard Town Square before Christmas, the red 9-foot LED-lit Stick is launched at midnight. The event, in its eighth year, will be broadcast live from 11:45 pm on Thursday, December 31, on Facebook (@VisitBatonRouge), the WAFB smartphone app and the WAFB smart TV (WAFB Plus).
“We want to remind everyone to come to town on New Year’s Eve to eat at restaurants or stay in hotels that there will be no activities in the town square,” the event organizer said Monday , Rannah Gray.
Those who watch online will have a chance to win a VIP package for next year’s celebration. Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome will announce the winner just before the countdown begins until midnight. Viewers who like, comment, or share the Red Stick live stream will automatically enter the contest. The package will include a dinner in the center for two people, a stay at the hotel and other amenities.
Also participating in the virtual celebration will be Paul Arrigo, President and CEO of Visit Baton Rouge, and other special guests.
“If there was a year to become virtual, 2021 has shown us that it is the year to add this component,” Arrigo said. “We are thrilled to share this event with our own residents, as well as with visitors from across the state of Louisiana and beyond, as we sound the New Year for sure.”
Viewers are invited to post a photo of how they sound in 2021 using the hashtag #ExploreBatonRouge or mention @VisitBatonRouge, for their photo to be posted on the Visit Baton Rouge website and the city square lighthouse. If you are in the city center between Christmas and New Year, check out the lighthouse of a music video (which is also posted on social media) with the mayor, Arrigo and others from the city’s parish government who wish everyone a happy new year, Gray said.
For updates on the event, check out redstickrevelry.com or on Facebook @RedStickRevelry and @VisitBatonRouge.
BRSO & Bubbles
The Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra and Martin Wine & Spirits provide music, wine and snacks for a tasting and virtual New Year’s Eve concert from 7 to 8:30 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 31.
Maureen Lara-Fournier of Vintus / Bollinger will lead guests through a tasting of two wines, interspersed with musical interludes by Duo Cintemani – Rachel and Nicholas Ciraldo. After the tasting, the Ciraldos will offer a 30-minute concert.
Attendees will receive a private zoom link for the virtual guided tasting. Each ticket purchase includes a tasting kit with two bottles of wine: Langlois Brut Rose Cremant de Loire and Champagne Bollinger Special Cuvee, as well as the choice of a charcuterie table or a smoked salmon table.
Prices are: two bottles plus charcuterie, $ 250; two bottles plus smoked salmon board, $ 250; two bottles plus charcuterie and smoked salmon, $ 275; four bottles plus charcuterie and smoked salmon, $ 400; four bottles plus two charcuterie boards, $ 400; and four bottles plus two boards of smoked salmon, $ 400. Tickets, which are limited, can be ordered online at brso.org or by calling (225) 383-0500. For each purchase, $ 130 is considered a tax deductible donation to the symphony.
Attendees must be over 21 years old. The person who will collect the wine and cheese tasting kits must also be 21 years old and provide identification.
Rachel Ciraldo is a flutist and Nicholas Ciraldo plays guitar. The two have performed together for more than two decades at prestigious festivals and series such as the Boston Classical Guitar Society Guitar Festival, FestivalSouth, the Natchez Music Festival, the Pelican State Chamber Series, the Lamar Chamber Series, the New York Guitar Seminar and Mannes. , and several more series across the country.