Baton Rouge Mardi Gras Festival will kick off its third annual celebration with a second line leading to the VIP Pre-Party today, Thursday, Feb. 4.

The party is from 6 p.m. until midnight at Henry Turner Jr.’s Listening Room in the Belle of Baton Rouge Casino and Hotel’s Atrium’s Bar 102.

Henry Turner Jr. & Flavor, a Louisiana reggae, blues, soul and funk band, will play at the event along with Sunrise Brass Band Family, April N. Jackson, Larry “LZ” Dillon, Nukie Miller, Miss Fenxx, Clarence “Pie Man” Williams, The Sun Room, the Bayou Bullets, DJ Chat and more.

Henry Turner Jr. & Flavor will also headline the main event on Saturday, Feb. 6, at North Boulevard Town Square on the Galvez Stage, where the band will debut “Baton Rouge Theme Song.”

The festival is from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and will feature a vendor village, visual artists and food. Chairs are welcome, as the event has lawn seating.

R&B singer Raven Salve, hip-hop artist NakEdtruth, funk and soul band Kyndra Joi and Soul Theory, R&B soul singer D-Whit, blues, jazz and rock band Terri Lynn and Blue Thunder, reggae-rock band King Baby, blues legends SmokeHouse Porter and Miss Mamie, reggae band Spred the Dub and producer Monika Olivier will also play the fest.

For more information, visit brmardigrasfest.com or call 225-802-9681.