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(02/20/24) BATON ROUGE, La. — After an early Mardi Gras season, the Burden Museum & Gardens is set to ring in springtime with many fun activities for adults and family alike.
There will be more than 200 domestic and international beers and ales for attendees to sample at the 19th annual Zapp's International Beer Fest, including a variety of home brews. Nonalcoholic beverages and food will be available as well.
The popular event will take place on Saturday, March 2, from 3 to 6 p.m.
Proceeds from this annual event will go to the LSU Rural Life Museum, supporting research, education and preservation.
This event is for patrons who are 21 years of age and older, and proper photo identification will be required to purchase tickets and enter. No children or pets will be admitted to the museum grounds.
Early-admission tickets are $65 apiece and include one serving of jambalaya, one nonalcoholic beverage and early entry at 2 p.m. Standard admission is $45 per ticket.
Tickets for designated drivers are $20 each and include jambalaya, a nonalcoholic beverage and entry with your party.
Tickets are available for purchase at Bon Temps Tix.com.
With more than 320 species of birds — including common species such as northern mockingbirds and ruby-throated hummingbirds, seven different woodpeckers, waterfowl, wading birds and a variety of resident migratory songbird — Birding at Burden is a birdwatchers’ dream come true.
Held one Saturday per month between 7 and 9 a.m., attendees have opportunities to catch a glimpse of some of these species on a two-hour guided tour led by different birding specialists through the birding loops at Burden.
Admission is $10 with a maximum capacity of 15 guests for each excursion.
Birding at Burden will be held on March 16, April 20 and May 18.
Those interested can register at Eventbrite.com.
Parents and children alike will cherish the memories made at StoryTime in the Garden, held one Saturday per month from 9 a.m. until noon. Youngsters will enjoy arts and crafts, listening to stories and meeting other kids. They also will receive a book to take home with them.
Switching between stories and crafts every half hour will keep young children interested and engaged.
StoryTime in the Garden is best suited for children ages 3 to 8 years of age, but children of all ages are welcome.
Admission is free, and no registration is required.
This season’s dates are March 2, April 13 and May 4, all at the Pavilion.
A celebration of spring, knowledge and all things green is on hand at Spring Garden Fest featuring East Baton Rouge Master Gardener Plant Sale — a day that appeals to both seasoned gardeners and budding plant lovers alike.
Featuring separate plant sales by the Botanic Gardens and East Baton Rouge Master Gardeners, attendees can immerse themselves in a vibrant marketplace with garden-related vendors offering a curated selection of goods. They also can explore informational booths from horticultural organizations and attend insightful 30-minute educational lectures by the Master Gardeners throughout the day.
Spring Garden Fest will be held on March 23 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event raises money to support educational activities provided by Master Gardeners and the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens.
It is strongly recommended to bring a wagon to tote around your purchases.
The lecture schedule is as follows:
9 to 9:30 a.m., Succulents with Joyce Ryder.
10 to 10:30 a.m., Herb Gardening with Kathy Mullin.
11 to 11:30 a.m., Pollinator Plants with Carol Paine.
Noon to 12:30 p.m., Composting with Bert Hammett.
Tickets to an Old Fashioned Easter Celebration are available at Bon Temps Tix.com.
On Thursday, April 18, Music in the Garden brings together local up-and-coming bands to play while attendees enjoy the unprecedented beauty of the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden.
Guests are encouraged to pack a picnic basket and dance away the previous week’s blues.
Admission ranges from $5 to $25, with Friends of the Gardens members receiving a discount on all ticket levels.
Continuing Activities
The birding loops at Burden trail system consists of six loops that wind through Burden’s formal and informal gardens, grasslands, croplands, wetlands and forest. The loops are designed for both beginners and advanced bird enthusiasts. Kiosks about the birding loops can be found at the Rural Life Museum Visitors Center and the Ione Burden Conference Center.
Trees and Trails, a 3-mile system of pedestrian, recreational and educational trails in the Burden Woods, provides opportunities for hiking and interpretive and educational activities for youth and adults. The Mosaic Boardwalk at Black Swamp guides visitors through a hardwood swamp more than 200 years old. The trail system is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily.
The Children’s Garden offers a place to learn about gardening and nutrition. This model garden also provides a location for youth-related organizations and individual families to experience the outdoors, focusing on vegetable, herb and butterfly garden plantings.
The Rose Garden is a part of the American Garden Rose Selections program, a nationwide network of approved public gardens, and the American Rose Trials for Sustainability program, maintaining an inventory of 1,100 plants representing 150 varieties. Starting each April, the Rose Garden offers an exclusive preview of the coming year’s outstanding new varieties.
Windrush Gardens comprises majestic live oaks and ancient crape myrtles to create a shady canopy over azaleas and camellias, evoking a sense of tranquility and peace. Steele Burden, who was influenced by the gardens of Europe and the surviving gardens of 19th century Louisiana plantations, designed Windrush. The winding paths are ideal for strolling and enjoying the 25 acres of landscaped spaces.
About Burden Museum & Gardens
Located at 4560 Essen Lane just off Interstate 10 in Baton Rouge, Burden Museum & Gardens is open daily from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and includes the LSU Rural Life Museum, the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens and Windrush Gardens.
The LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens is an expansive collection of specialty gardens, woodlands, wetlands and arboreta. Trees and Trails offer 3 miles of serene walking paths through the Burden Woods. The Rose Garden, Children’s Garden and All-America Selections Display Garden showcase the beauty of plants and flowers and provide educational experiences for gardeners of all ages. No admission is charged to tour the gardens.
The LSU Rural Life Museum focuses on the ways of life of rural Louisiana during the 18th and 19th centuries. The museum also provides educational and research resources that advance an understanding of the material and cultural heritage of the region. Adjacent to the Rural Life Museum, the historic Windrush Gardens comprises 5 acres of semi-formal gardens of the Burden family.
Admission to the Botanic Gardens and Trees and Trails is free of charge and open daily 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission to the Rural Life Museum is $10 for adults 12 to 61, $9 for seniors and $8 for children 6 to 11. Admission to Windrush Gardens is $3 per person. Both are free for kids under 6. The LSU Rural Life Museum and Windrush Gardens are open daily 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except on major holidays.
More than 200 domestic and international beers and ales will be on hand at the 19th annual Zapp’s International Beer Fest. This year, the event will take place on Saturday, March 2, from 3 to 6 p.m. Photo provided by Eye Wander Photography
Guests shopping for herbs and vegetables at the plant sale. This year’s Spring Garden Fest featuring the East Baton Rouge Master Gardener Plant Sale will be held on March 23, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Photo provided by Burden Museum & Gardens
