BR Area Convention and Visitors Bureau gets new offices with city symbol artwork

• By CYNTHIA V. CAMPBELL
• Travel editor
• Published: Jul 27, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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The Baton Rouge Area Convention and Visitors Bureau is settling into its new building at 359 Third St., and the doors are open to all visitors.

For those who missed the recent grand opening, the new offices are an attractive renovation of a building rich in Baton Rouge history. It was built in 1922 for Robert M. Hart, former mayor of Baton Rouge and a real estate developer. Through the years, the property served as a drugstore, women’s retail clothing store and shoe store. In 1984, the Louisiana Home Builders Association bought and renovated the building, restoring the original brick work. The BRACVB purchased the office building for $1.1 million last year and contracted with Post Architects, Block Construction and Leslie Herpin Interior Design Inc. to transform it to meet their needs. The result is a building that retains a number of exquisite architectural features while offering spacious, well-lighted office spaces.

Choosing Baton Rouge’s name (Red Stick) as its official symbol, the bureau commissioned local metal smith and artist Nathan Logsdon to create an art piece that designates the organization’s downtown presence. Logsdon’s business, Avec Coeur Designs, has worked with regional interior designers and architects, and this is the first of Logsdon’s public sculptures. Now, the 12-foot art piece, fashioned from aluminum, with its stylized “red stick,” clearly identifies the BRACVB on Third Street.

Don’t just drive by. Step into the entrance and reception area, where you can pick up the latest info on Baton Rouge along with a guide, maps and tourist info about the city.

La Table Francaise
Grab a cup of coffee and share conversation and fun with other French speakers. This month’s French table is scheduled for 7:30-8:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 30, at KaJeune’s diner in Opelousas.

For more information, call the Opelousas Tourism office at (337) 948-5227.

Satchmo Summerfest
Celebrate the life of Louis Armstrong Thursday, July 31, through Sunday, Aug. 3, at the annual Satchmo Summerfest in New Orleans. Most of the entertainment will take place on the grounds of the Old U.S. Mint at Barracks Street and Esplanade Avenue.

The festival features live music by local musicians in the Satchmo jazz tradition. Among the performers will be Tim Laughlin, Connie Jones, the Last Straws, Randy Sandke Quintet, Crescent City Jazz Band, Storyville Stompers Brass Band, Rebirth Brass Band, Soul Rebels Brass Band, Treme Brass Band, New Birth Brass Band, Magnet Eat, Vavavoom, Phillip Manuel, Leah Chase, Sharon Martin and Kermit Ruffins. The Children’s Stage will feature Papillion Kid Pirates, Red Hot Brass Band, Shad Weathersby and Baby Boyz Brass Band. Plus, there will be food, drinks, art works and crafts.

Summerfest is also an educational event with seminars and group discussions for music scholars. Speakers will include author Gary Giddens, trumpeter and scholar Randy Sandke and oral history specialist Connie Jones. There will be a daily screening of vintage clips featuring Louis Armstrong.

This year Antoine’s Restaurant will host the “Red Beans and Ricely Yours” luncheon at noon Friday, Aug. 1. Cost is $45 and proceeds benefit French Quarter Festival projects. For information, contact French Quarter Festivals at (504) 522-5730 or visit http://www.satdhmosummerfest.com.

Marshland Festival
Music and the culture of Louisiana’s wetlands is the focus of the Marshland Festival that takes place Friday-Saturday, Aug. 1 and 2.
Growing in popularity every year, the festival is dedicated to helping youth organizations of the Hackberry area and promoting the heritage of Cajun music and cuisine. The event has been named a Top 20 Event for 2008 by the Southeast Tourism Society.

Performing Friday will be Steven Mire and the Saltwater Playboys, LA Express and Elvis, Still Shot, John Conlee and Richard Lebouef. Saturday entertainment includes CajuNation, Kevin Naquin and the Ossun Playboys, Foret Tradition, Travis Matte and the Zydeco Kingpins, Don Rich, Rosie Ledet and the Zydeco Badboys, Barry Badon and the Bayou Boys and Jaime Bergeron and the Kickin Cajuns.

   Gates open at 4 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday. Activities include Louisiana food, a business expo, games, exhibits and crafts. Admission is $8 adults on Friday and $10, Saturday. For info, visit http://www.marshlandfestival.com. Call (337) 436-9588.