Since its inception hundreds of years ago, Louisiana has been a cultural epicenter, combining all of the best aspects of art, music, cuisine, architecture, and fashion, blending them into a fantastic gumbo of history and culture that is distinctive and unique only to Louisiana. After becoming the state capital in 1849, Baton Rouge became one of the most recognizable and enduring cities of the Sout
h. Described in 1893 by Karl Baedeker in his guidebook as, “the Capital of Louisiana, a quaint old place…on the bluff of the Mississippi,” the “red stick” became over the years a hub of education (home of LSU and Southern University); an industrial giant, housing some of the world’s most influential companies; and a hotbed for politics, seeing the likes of the great O.K. Allen, Edwin Edwards, Fox McKeithen, and the unforgettable Huey P. Long dashing around the halls of the State Capitol in his immaculate seersucker suits. We, along you your assistance and support, would love to create an event that would showcase and celebrate the history and culture of our state and this great city, as well as raise awareness in our community of the importance of health and fitness. The Seersucker and Linen social is the event to encompass all of these themes. Seersucker, a fabric made famous in the south and all across the world after being made into a suit in New Orleans for the first time in 1907, is synonymous with proper southern living and is a staple in any southern wardrobe. Linen is also a fabric popular in humid and tropical climates for its propensity to keep its wearer cooler and drier than other densely constructed materials. The event would kick off with a seersucker run, which would be a ride in style bike ride(in beautiful downtown Baton Rouge) symbolizing a journey back to a time of quaint simplicity and refined elegance which Baton Rouge is known for. This portion of our event would also provide a platform to raise awareness of health and fitness for our state. According to the statistics of the United Health Foundation, Louisiana ranks as the 49th unhealthiest state in the union in 2011(41st in diabetes, 45th in cardiovascular deaths, 47th in cancer deaths). We want to inform the public of the inherent risk we face as residents of this state, but with small changes to our day to day living habits, how the quality and longevity of our resident’s lives may increase. The next phase of the Seersucker and Linen Social would be an old style soirée / pinic on the lawn of the beautiful AZ Young Park(downtown Baton Rouge). There, we would be able to expand our message of health and fitness with traditional lawn party games, but it will also be an opportunity to transition into the main themes of our event; the modern arts and Louisiana culture. The lawn would be a living, breathing gumbo pot where we will allow vendors to have a venue to showcase their various passions including food, drink, art, music, and fashion. In addition, we would like to host other auxiliary events that would aid in enhancing as well as enriching the experience such as a silent auction, and live performances from some of the area’s best jazz musicians. Similar events have been hosted all over the country in places such as Washington, D.C., Alabama, and Arkansas. Even New Orleans made an attempt earlier this year to host a similar event. But, we feel that with the right combination of passion and vision, this event could very well become a highly successful and well attended event with the possibility of expanding to a cultural celebration on par with Jazzfest, and other events held annually around our great state. This Seersucker and Linen Social is an event that can be enjoyed by citizens of all ages, creeds, colors, and socioeconomic backgrounds. We ask that you stand with us at the forefront of an event that will bring awareness, entertainment, and pride to our community while embracing and celebrating our rich heritage.
