Memorial Day weekend in Baton Rouge serves up a mini-vacation your family won’t forget!
Baton Rouge is ranked #1 out of the top 5 best inexpensive US cities to vacation for Memorial Day. An extra day to play during a 3-day weekend means you can attend more local festivals, live shows, great attractions and of course patriotic celebrations in Baton Rouge. Holiday weekends in the capital city are fun for the whole family and you can make the most of your summer kick-off here.
Our sunny, warm weather is best enjoying outside, but we also offer plenty ways to beat the heat! Cool off at a splash pad around town, or spend the day this Memorial weekend at one of our water parks, Liberty Lagoon or Blue Bayou / Dixie Landing (as always, save $5 with any Coca-Cola can at Blue Bayou).
Baton Rouge also isn’t short of things to do indoors. Activities like rock climbing at Uptown Climbing, jumping around at Area 51 extreme sports park, or visiting the new Knock Knock Children's Museum are all options for playing inside.
These events below are a most-see memorial day weekend in Baton Rouge. For a full list of events this weekend or any weekend in Baton Rouge, visit our event calendar.
GymFit Fest
The inaugural GymFit Fest is set to be a fantastic day of fun for families and their little ones. The Cirque and Movement event combines performances by pros in fire spinning, acroyoga, aerial silks and more, with workshops for everyone to try. Participate in parkour competitions and ninja warrior obstacle races, or just enjoy a ninja snowball from the sidelines! Tons of kids’ activities like making your own flow prop and painting a parkour box will keep them entertained for hours.
Jambalaya Fest
For more than 50 years, the Jambalaya Festival in nearby Gonzales has been entertaining the area on Memorial Day weekend. With top-notch bands and entertainment rocking the stage, to the jambalaya cooking contest rocking your taste buds, this festival is a must-do in the Baton Rouge area.
Celebrate the true meaning of Memorial Day
Memorial Day Garden of Flags planting
The more than 11,000 flags representing Louisiana’s fallen heroes are carried by current and former members of the United States Armed Forces on a 6-mile ruck march called the “Hero Hump.”
The flags are delivered to the Blue Star Mothers of Louisiana to plant on the lawn on the Louisiana State Capitol Gardens on Saturday in a beautiful display to honor fallen Louisiana service members.
USS Kidd’s Memorial Day Ceremony
Every year on Memorial Day, the USS KIDD Veterans Museum hosts a remembrance ceremony to honor fallen service members. Wear something patriotic to show your support at the event in Louisiana Memorial Plaza, located on the grounds of the museum. The USS KIDD Veterans Museum galleries will be free to the public between 9:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. only. USS KIDD ship tours will be available at the regular admission price of $10 for adults and $6 for children ages 5-12. Veterans and military families will receive half-price admission with the presentation of their military ID.
The Baton Rouge Concert Band- annual Memorial Day concert
This volunteer organization will perform classic patriotic ballads through the night, beginning at 7 p.m. in North Boulevard Town Square on Monday. Bring your chairs and blankets for this beautiful spring evening on the lawn.
