July Events Turn Up the Heat for St. James Place & Our Residents
It’s already been an action-packed, fun-filled summer here at St. James Place, and it’s far from over. From the 4th of July event, organized and run by our residents, to the Summer Bingo, which was played throughout July, to the Bastille Day Fete and Aloha to the Square Party, the excitement has not stopped. Let’s recap.
Our 4th of July celebration was very well-attended, with residents joined by family and friends to celebrate American independence. The line for traditional 4th of July fare — hot dogs and hamburgers — was long. But that didn’t stop everyone from celebrating with all the fervor they could muster. The live music, provided by the Florida Street Blowhards — considered Baton Rouge’s premier traditional jazz band — had the crowd dancing between the tables.
For residents, many of whom went down to the river to watch, along with friends and family members, Baton Rouge's Fourth of July Spectacular welcomed thousands of guests from around the country for an evening-long event of fun, ending with a breathtaking fireworks display overlooking the mighty Mississippi.
On Thursday, July 14th, a social was held in the St. James Place Bistro to honor Bastille Day, the French national holiday, or Fete Nationale Francaise as it is called in France. The holiday celebrates the fall of The Bastille, a military fortress and prison, which occurred on July 14, 1789, when an angry mob stormed the stronghold, signaling the beginning of the French Revolution. At St. James Place residents were served French 75 cocktails, macaroon cookies, and Quiche Lorraine, all of which originated in France. Even after the food was gone, in true Louisiana spirit, the party continued into the night!
St. James Place Summer Bingo was another activity that kept residents excited the entire month of July. From the 1st through the 31st, residents competed for prizes by putting an “X” over every event they attended. A donation to Alzheimer’s Services of the Capital Area captured the “X” for the center square. The Grand Prize, consisting of a basket of fine wine, food, gifts and two orchestra seats for the World Ballet Series performance of Swan Lake in October, went to one of the residents who were able to put an “X” over every square on the card.
The Aloha to the Square party, on July 26th, was our last big celebration before saying goodbye to the square as we know it and hello to the exciting new renovations to come, as the building was temporarily closed for renovations. Aloha means hello and goodbye in Hawaiian culture. As a farewell, a luau was held in the Convocation Room and Le Petit Carré dining room. The dining services team served Hawaiian-inspired cuisine and cocktails and there was even a steel drummer present to entertain residents.
All these events, both on and off campus, made July an incredibly fun and exciting month for the residents of St. James Place, as well as their families, friends and fellow citizens of Baton Rouge. And with more than a month left until Labor Day weekend, we can’t wait to see what August has to wind up the summer fun.
July was a month jam-packed with events. Please check our Calendar of Events for August and see how much more St. James Place has in store for our residents this month.