La. dazzles residents, visitors

• By CYNTHIA V. CAMPBELL
• Travel editor
• Published: Nov 30, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Louisiana will kick into full gear for the Christmas season this coming week. Dazzling lights, glittering decorations and festive music will be found in every corner of the state. Allow plenty of time to get to a festival or event safely. And don’t worry if you miss something, there’s more to come throughout December.

Baton Rouge on the river
Baton Rouge’s Downtown Festival of Lights centers on River Center Plaza with a 35-foot Christmas tree where Third Street meets North Boulevard. Hours are 5 to 9 p.m., Friday, Dec. 5, with the official lighting and fireworks scheduled at 6:15 p.m.

There will be free ice skating and three tons of snow, Santa Claus and carols with Kenny Kleinpeter in the Old State Capitol, and a Christmas street dance featuring Ned Fasullo and his Big Band music. Enjoy the lights along North Boulevard, a special planetarium show and music magic at the Louisiana Art & Science Museum, open house at the Old Governor’s Mansion, a live Nativity scene on the lawn of the First Presbyterian Church, and hot chocolate and music at  First Baptist Church. “Miracle on Third Street” will feature open houses along the historic street, including two of downtown’s oldest merchants, Bates and Thigpen and Latil’s Stationery. Other businesses and restaurants will be open as well.

The event is sponsored by the City of Baton Rouge, Downtown Development District, Department of Public Works, Capital One, Citadel Broadcasting, WAFB, The Advocate and WBRZ. Free parking will be available 4-10 p.m. in the River Center garages. For details on the Festival of Lights and other holiday events, visit the Web site: http://www.downtownbatonrouge.org. Also, you can download a free parking pass from the Web site.

Natchitoches Christmas
Startling beautiful, the annual Festival of Lights in Natchitoches will put you in the mood for Christmas like no other event. For the 82nd year, the festival officially opens Saturday, Dec. 6, downtown on the banks of Cane River Lake. A junior parade strolls into the area at 10 a.m. and the two-mile main parade begins at 1 p.m. Entertainment throughout the day will feature Valerie Francis, Bellamy Brothers and Na Na Sha. Fireworks over the lake begin at 6 p.m. and include a light show coordinated to high-energy Christmas music.

Carriages will be available for evening tours throughout the Natchitoches National Landmark Historic District. Boat rides also will be available on the lake.

The Natchitoches event has attracted attention throughout the nation. Visitors will find RVs and motorhomes pulling into designated parking areas several days prior to the opening day as visitors arrive early for the festivities. Expect heavy traffic on Dec. 6.

To make the festival more accessible, Natchitoches keeps its lights glowing throughout December, and fireworks take place every Saturday evening in the month.

The Christmas by Candlelight Holiday tour of Homes will take place the second and third weeks in December. The tour, featuring a number of historic homes, is presented by the Natchitoches Historic Foundation. Visit http://www.historicfoundation.com for details.
For more information, visit http://www.christmasfestival.com or call (318) 352-6894. For info on hotels and B&Bs, contact the Natchitoches Area Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 259-1714.

A Country Christmas
St. Francisville’s Christmas in the Country Friday-Sunday, Dec. 5-7, has an English-Scots flavor in keeping with the area’s early heritage. Plantation homes are decorated in simple 1800s fashion. But like the rest of Louisiana, the town also cherishes its New World traditions.

Friday, Dec. 5, the Women’s Service League will sell fresh wreaths and Plantation Country Cookbooks on Ferdinand Street. The First Baptist Children’s Choir will sing at 5:30 p.m. on the front porch of Town Hall on Ferdinand Street, and Mayor Billy D’Aquilla will light the Christmas tree and host a welcome reception. White Light Night, from 6:30 to 9 p.m., features open houses in local businesses. Ride the Highlands Bank trolleys to shop and vote for your favorite decorations. At 7 p.m., The Baton Rouge Symphony’s Brass Ensemble will perform at Grace Episcopal Church followed by a dessert reception. Tickets are available at the Bank of St. Francisville.

Saturday, Dec. 6, visitors can enjoy breakfast with St. Nick at Jackson Hall at Grace Episcopal church at 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Tickets are $6. Local choirs will perform at the Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, Historical Society Museum and along Ferdinand and Royal Streets. Parker Memorial Park will offer music, food and children’s activities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Angola Inmate Traveling Band performs noon to 4 p.m. across from Garden Symposium Park, and Main Street Band plays noon-2 p.m. in Parker Memorial Park. View the Live Nativity at the First Baptist Church on La. 10 and La. 61. The St. Francisville Transitory Theatre will Present two Christmas Stories — A Christmas Carol and The Gift of the Magi at 7:30 p.m. in the Old Market Hall on Royal Street. Tickets cost $5.

Sunday, Dec. 7, activities include a continuation of the wreath sale, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., by the Women’s Service League on St. Ferdinand Street, a Library Tour of Homes, noon to 5 p.m., with tickets priced at $15, and a repeat of the Transitory Theatre performance at 7:30 p.m.