Live after five concert series in downtown Baton Rouge, trimmed after city panro -referring budget cuts – Advocate

Live after five, the free concert series on Friday night in the center of Baton Rouge, there will be fewer shows this year after a decrease in the city budget related to tax money that is moving to St. George, staff said.

Last summer, Baton Rouge government agencies were said to submit plans to reduce budget from 10% to 20% when St. George’s inclusion moved on. As a result, this year’s financing of urban irons funding for the concert series is 20%, from $ 75,000 to $ 60,000, said Casey Tate, assistant CEO of the Center’s development area.

With less available funding, the band is trimmed at four concerts in the spring and four in the fall, instead of the historic six shows every season, he said.

“We want to live in five to be here for years ahead,” Tate said. “The concerts had great success.”

The shows with the participation of local musicians have attracted an average of about 5,000 people, he said.

“This is probably the most diverse, free community event in the city,” Tate said. “Workers, residents, visitors, young and old are there.”

Live after five starts this year at 5 pm April 4, with other spring concerts, which will follow on April 11, April 25 and May 2.

The dates for the autumn concerts will be announced later during the year.

Last spring concerts included Groovy 7, Kenny Neal Blues Fest, Todd O’Neil, Original Pinettes, Bucktown Allstarts and the Michael Foster project.

The event began 30 years ago and has evolved over the years.

“The concerts were growing from the efforts of the main shows as a lunch show-bring your own lunch-in the mid-1990s and continued to grow over the years,” Tate said.

Partnerships with sponsors and fundraising efforts may allow the area to develop the city center to add shows to the autumn and spring concerts series, as well as outside those windows on the calendar, “Tate said.