by Jeanni Ritchie
The warmer it gets, the more events there are to choose from! Many of the places listed have multiple events throughout the month. If you are interested in an event but have a scheduling conflict, check out their FB page or website to see what other events they may have at another time. Here are some April events to put a little spring in your step!
April 1: The Easter Bunny arrives at the Alexandria Mall! 11 AM
April 1: The Southern Book Club, Westside Regional Library, 10-11 AM. This month’s book: Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen by Susan Gregg Gilmore.
April 1: VR Experience, Westside Regional Library, 4-5 PM. Ages 7-17. (Hello?! When is the 18 and up event?!)
April 1: Pretty Woman: The Musical (Touring) Raising Cane’s River Center, Baton Rouge, 7:30 PM
April 2: Cenla Songwriter’s Circle, Fighting Hand Brewing Company, Pineville, 6 PM
April 3: ASH Theatre presents Heathers (runs through 4/6)
April 3: Downtown Rocks: Chubby Charrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, 915 3rd St, 5 PM
April 3: City Park Players presents Four Old Broads on the High Seas, Hearn Stage (runs through 4/6 and 4/10-4/13)
April 3: Pineville High School Theatre presents Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (runs through 4/6)
April 4: Teen Game Night, Westside Regional Library, 4-5 PM
April 4: New Movie: A Minecraft Movie
April 4: Moana 2, Martin Luther King Branch, 5-7:30 PM
April 4: Acrylic Highlander Cow w/ Tanja, painting class, Let Love Be My Motive Studio, Glenmora, 6:30 PM. Talent not necessary!
April 4-5: Junkin’ on the River Spring 2025, presented by Bless This Mess Vintage Market, 1611 Carter Street, Vidalia, 9 AM
April 5: Owl Fest, Montessori Educational Center, 10 AM-1 PM
April 5: Festival des Fleurs de Louisiane 2025, Lafayette Garden Show, 8 AM-4 PM
April 5: Spring Fest 2025, Hammond Farmers and Artisan Market, 8 AM- Noon
April 5: Spring Carnival, Longview Baptist Church, Deville, 11 AM-2 PM. Free food, carnival games, jumpers, slides, and more
April 5-6: DeRidder Gun Show, Beauregard Parish Fairgrounds, 506 West Drive, DeRidder, 3 PM
April 6: Backbone Trail Group Hike, Pack and Paddle, Backbone/Caroline Dorman Trailhead, 129 Wildwood Drive, Pineville, 7 AM. “Best 8 Miles of Trail in LA”
April 7: Play Reading, City Park Players, Hearn Stage, 6-7 PM. (Love acting but can’t commit to the grueling rehearsal schedule? A play reading is perfect!)
April 8: Creative Roundtable, artists gathering, AMOA, 933 2nd St, Alexandria 5:30 PM
April 8: Boot and Bouquet Paint and Sip by Happily Feather After Crafts, Genghis Mongolian Grill and Sushi, 6-8:30 PM
April 9: Cenla Women’s Connection, Prayer Connection, 10 AM. This month’s meeting: Calvary Baptist Church
April 9: NSU Theatre Dept. presents Cabaret, Northwestern State University, Natchitoches (runs through 4/13)
April 10: Community Heart Project, Main Library, 10 AM. Unveiling of custom painter heart by local artist Gavin Bridges. Light refreshments.
April 10: Downtown Rocks- Kelli Roberts Band, 5 PM, downtown Alexandria
April 10-12: April 2025 LA Women’s Riding Retreat, Rustic Sky Horse Camp, 30 Squyres Rd, Melder. Call 318-659-4414 for more info.
April 11: Power of Music, Ignite Success, Tioga High School Auditorium, 7-9:30 PM
April 12: Breakfast with the Easter Bunny, Kent Plantation House, 3601 Bayou Rapides Road, 10 AM- 1 PM. Face painting, Easter bunny photos, crafts, pancakes, games and prizes. $10 (ages 2 and up)
April 12: Jamie Bergeron and the Kickin’ Cajuns, Paragon Mari Center, 9 PM
April 12: Inaugural Miss Fete and Miss Teen Fete Pageant, Coughlin-Saunders Performing Arts Center, 3 PM
April 12: Village of Elizabeth, Easter Egg Hunt, Lil Piney Park, 9 AM- 1 PM
April 12: Centerpoint Farmers Market, 153 W Bryant Rd, 9 AM-1 PM
April 12: LA Champion Steak Cook-Off, Greater Beauregard Chamber of Commerce, DeRidder, 10 AM- 6 PM
April 12: Louisiana Doll Festival, DeRidder, Princess and Superhero Costume Contests, 5K Walk/Run, Doll Parade, and more. Visit louisianadollfestival.com for more info.
April 12: Quilting 101, Aunt Nell’s Quilt Shop, 1627 Hyland Park Drive, Pineville, 10 AM
April 12: Alexandria Museum of Art Second Saturday. Free admission to all.
April 12: True Beauty Clinic, Jourr Beauty, Faith-filled skincare class for ages 14-18. 3600 Jackson Street Suite 200. 11 AM- 1:30 PM
April 12: Danny Gokey- The Sound of Heaven Tour, 6 PM, First West- West Monroe Campus, 311 Mill Street (also in Lafayette April 11 at Crossroads Church)
April 12-21: VPSB Spring Break (no school for Vernon Parish students)
April 13: Mommy and Me Mini Photo Sessions, Wanderlust Productions. Visit thewanderlustproductions.com to schedule your session.
April 14: A Little Bit of Everything Book Club, Westside Regional Library, 6-7 PM. This month’s book: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
April 14: Kim’s Video, Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers, Kress Theatre, Alexandria
April 16: Cirque Mechanics: Pedal Punk, presented by the Arts Council of Central Louisiana, Coughlin-Saunders PAC, 7 PM (School show 10 AM)
April 16-22: Neighborhood Forests Tree Giveaway, Earth Day celebration, all RPL branches, open hours.
April 17: Easter Wine Glass Centerpiece, Martin Luther King Jr, 4-5:30 PM
April 17: Downtown Rocks- Step Rideau and the Zydeco Outlaws, Downtown Alexandria, 5 PM
April 17: Wayne Toups, Bootleggers, 4180 Jackson Street Extension, 8 PM
April 18: Good Friday Dinner Sale to benefit Bethel Missionary Baptist Church building fund, 1700 Bank Drive, Alexandria 10 AM- 2 PM. Catfish plates and more
April 18: New Movie: Passion of the Christ: Resurrection
April 18-27: RPSB Spring Break (no school for Rapides Parish students)
April 18-25: GPSB Spring Break (no school for Grant Parish students)
April 19: Water Lantern Festival, Baton Rouge
April 19: Easter Egg Hunt for the Dogs! Connecting K9, 3270 Hwy 457, Alexandria, 3-7 PM
April 19: LV5K, annual Lauren Vaughn Memorial 5K and 1-mile Run/Walk, ASH, 8 AM
April 19: Spring Fest, 75 Cotile Lake, Boyce, 9 AM
April 19: Silk and Christopher Williams, Paragon Mari Center, 8 PM
April 19: Easter Egg Roundup, Cross Branded Cowboy Church, 6906 Hwy 28 East, Pineville 10 AM- Noon
April 20: Easter Sunday Services
April 21-25: Play Cenla Spring Camp, 8 AM- 5 PM, Limited space; reserve your child’s spot at playcenla@gmail.com.
April 22: Come Write In! Creative Writing Session, Main Library, 4:30 PM- 5:45 PM
April 23: Free Youth Soccer Camp, 10-11:30 AM, Big Island Park. Check out a full week’s worth of free activities for kids at the Youth and Tennis Center (1801 Sylvester Street) and Frank O Hunter Park (2399 Willow Glen River Road) April 21-25 on the City of Alexandria’s Parks and Rec page.
April 24: Floam Slime, Martin Library, 11 AM- Noon
April 24-27: 2025 Louisiana Mudfest, Colfax. Mud-bogging, Bounty Holes, Riding and Camping
April 25: Bolton High School 2nd Annual Hall of Fame Induction, Lagniappe Event Center, 6 PM
April 25: Cody Johnson Leather Deluxe Tour, Cajundome, 7:30 PM
April 25: While We’re Waiting, parental bereavement support group, Starfish Book Nook, Ball, 6 PM
April 26: Little Eva’s Spring Event, Little Eva Plantation, Cloutierville, 9 AM- 4 PM
April 26: Fervent with Priscilla Shirer, Tony Evans, and more, North Monroe Baptist Church, 9 AM. Visit ferventtheevent.com for more info.
April 26: Earth Day, Alexandria Zoo, 10 AM- 3 PM. Dress as your favorite superhero.
April 26: Open Mic Night, 636 Lounge and Venue, 6 PM, 636 Bolton Ave, Alexandria. Open mic, comedy, karaoke, poetry reading
April 29: Scrapbook Class, Sunflower Van Geaux. Bring that box of photos and mementos and put together the scrapbook you’ve been meaning to do at 10 AM, 1 PM, or 6 PM. Call Allie for more information at 318-542-5200.
Send your MAY events to jeanniritchie54@gmail.com.
