Source: 2theadvocate.com
Animation enthusiasts of all ages will have opportunities for fun when the Red Stick International Animation Festival returns to downtown Baton Rouge April 22-25.
Red Stick, which turns five this year, is the largest festival of its kind in the United States. Festival events take place at the Shaw Center for the Arts, Manship Theatre, Louisiana Art & Science Museum, Old State Capitol and LSU Museum of Art.
As always, the festival will feature free film screenings for families. This year, Red Stick also features several special events parents can enjoy with their children. All of these events are free, but families need to register for a free Red Pass to attend. Just go to www.redstickfestival.org to sign up and learn more about the exciting events planned for this year.
On Thursday evening, April 23, Red Stick will host a live musical performance by Elektronic Second Line with the Mardi Gras Bull Revelers outside the Shaw Center for the Arts. This eclectic group of performance artists and musicians will put on a unique show, featuring DJs, dancers, drummers and pyrotechnics.
On Friday night, April 24, the Princess Ball returns to the Old State Capitol. All the young princesses in Baton Rouge are invited to attend and dance with their fathers, brothers, uncles, grandfathers or best friends. The event is free, but the festival asks for voluntary donations of $5 per family to support Girl Scouts Louisiana East. Doors will open at 7 p.m., dancing begins at 8 p.m., and when the clock strikes 9 p.m., the ball must end.
On Saturday morning, April 25, clowns, spacewalks, face-painters and cartoons will animate the Old State Capitol for Cartoon-a-Palooza. Children are invited to arrive at 9 a.m. to have their Saturday morning fun downtown, watching cartoons in their pajamas while enjoying a complimentary breakfast. Outside, clowns will entertain the children and paint faces, while spacewalks designed to look like classic childhood cartoons and bubbles will also be available for fun.
Parents can bring a change of clothes for their children to enjoy an animated day downtown at the other festival events.
This year, Baton Rouge Blues Week will take place at the same time as the Red Stick International Animation Festival, so families can double their fun downtown with a "purple" weekend, enjoying both events at once! Following the Blues Week Live After Five performance on Friday, April 24, Red Stick and Blues Week will host an original live animation performance by artist J. Walt set to live blues music inside the Manship Theatre.
On Saturday, April 25, both events will host a showing of the acclaimed recent release, "Sita Sings the Blues." This animated film tells the story of an Indian girl, set to Southern American blues music. Attendees at both Blues Week and Red Stick are welcome to attend either of these events for free by registering online for a Red Pass.
To see a schedule of all planned festival events, visit http://redstickfestival.org/events_schedule.asp.
Prominent state and community organizations sponsor Red Stick, including LSU, Baton Rouge Area Chamber, Baton Rouge Area Foundation, East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President’s Office, Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism and Louisiana Economic Development.
Publish Date:
04-14-2009
