BATON ROUGE – The LSU Student Union Art Advisory Committee has just announced a new exhibit. “Defining/Defying the Figure: Figurative Art of Baton Rouge,” will be on display from April 22 through May 20 at the LSU Student Union Art Gallery in Baton Rouge. An opening reception for the exhibit will take place on Sunday, April 22, from 2-4 p.m. in the gallery. All LSU Union Art Gallery exhibits are free and open to the public.

The exhibit will highlight artists who have worked in the Baton Rouge area, and whose work focuses on varying uses and interpretations of the human figure. The display will contrast artists who define the human figure in a traditional way and those that defy it by challenging the norms of figural representation.

The show will feature artwork from Edward Pramuk, Demond Matsuo, Katie Knoeringer, Emily LaCour, Claire Delony, Lisa di Stefano, Diane Hanson, Robert Hausey, and many others.

A documentary about the pieces on display will be included with the exhibit. The documentary was produced by The Digital Art and Design Association, (Digital ADA), along with the LSU School of Art, and will premiere at the opening reception on April 22 at 3 p.m.

Parking is available for visitors at metered parking spaces in front of the LSU Student Union from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Friday. Parking on campus is free on the weekends.

Baton Rouge, LA — It’s a well known fact ’round these parts – what we take for just another Saturday, other people take as vacations.

So here’s how it goes – the last Mardi Gras parade rolls on a Tuesday, you get your ashes on Wednesday, and by Saturday the Louisiana Festival season has started. Literally every weekend from March through October, and many weekends after that, we can pick up a paper, or get online at InsiderBatonRouge.com and find a festival to fit what we want to do. We have an Arts Fest, Food Fest, Booze Fest, Music Fest, Literary Fest – you get the picture.  If you can view it, hear it, dance to it, grow it or injest it, there’s bound to be a South Louisiana Festival for it. And it’s probably just around the corner.

Hundreds of thousands of people flock to the Baton Rouge and New Orleans area every summer, fall, and spring looking for many of the events listed below. Here is a list of the top ten Baton Rouge Festivals and South Louisiana festivals. Be kind to the tourists, y’all – where they come from “festival” is not just another word for “Saturday”.

Here are the top 10 festivals in Louisiana that attract people from the world over:

Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival

When: March 21-25, 2012 Friday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Where: Registration is at the Hotel Monteleone, 214 Royal St., New Orleans with venues scattered throughout the French Quarter. Tickets: Individual events, $10; festival panel pass, $75, $60 for students/teachers/seniors; all-access pass, $500. Other passes and special events vary. More info: 504.581.1144; 800.990.3378; tennesseewilliams.net.

French Quarter Festival

When: April 12-15, times TBA

Where: Throughout the French Quarter, with stages at Jackson Square, Woldenberg Riverfront Park, Bourbon Street, Royal Street, the French Market, St. Mary’s at the Ursuline Convent and Louisiana State Museum’s Old U.S. Mint. Visit frenchquarterfest.com for details.

Tickets: Free. Attendees can support the four-day fest by purchasing merchandise, food and beverages (coolers are prohibited), and tickets to off-site special events.

Who goes: Locals and tourists of all ages.

Baton Rouge Blues Festival

Louisiana Earth Day Festival

When: April 22 — kicks of Baton Rouge Blues Fest weekend

Where: downtown Baton Rouge

Tickets: just come on down

New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival

When: April 27-29, May 3-6, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Where: Fair Grounds Race Course, 1751 Gentilly Blvd.

Tickets: Individual day passes, $50 in advance plus service fees, $65 at the gate, $5 for children ages 2-10 via Ticketmaster outlets or by phone (800.745.3000), or in person at the Jazz Fest ticket office at the New Orleans Arena,1501 Girod St.VIP and travel packages also are available. Visit nojazzfest.com for more information.

The crowd: All ages, appetites and walks of life.

Essence Music Festival

When: July 6-8, times TBA

Where: Nightly concerts are held at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome,1500 Poydras St., with daytime programming hosted by the Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Convention Center,900 Convention Center Boulevard.

Tickets: $120 for Terrace Level weekend concert package to $750 for Gold Circle Floor; single night tickets run $50 to $300; daytime seminars are free; VIP and travel packages are available. Visit essencemusicfestival.com for more information.

Who goes: Organizers estimated 422,000 attendees from literally all over the country in 2011, ranking it among the largest celebrations of urban culture in the U.S.

Tales of the Cocktail

Details TBA

Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo

Details TBA

Satchmo Summerfest

Details TBA

Gretna Heritage Festival

Details TBA

New Orleans Film Festival

Details TBA

Voodoo Art and Music Experience

Details TBA

Do you know of a great festival that’s not on our list? Add it here.

The annual Baton Rouge Blue Festival will be held on April 14th.

Location: Town Square North Blvd.

The Lineup includes:

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