With Halloween waiting in the wings, fall’s finest opportunity to dust off your most eclectic bowtie or break out that sequined dress is right around the corner. Locate your deep ruby lipstick and set of special occasion pearls. Don’t skimp on les accoutrements when dressing for this glamorous, Parisian-style evening at the only castle in Baton Rouge.
For one night only, the 2026 Spirits of Louisiana Gala will dress the Old State Capitol building in dramatic red velvet and flamboyant Rococo maximalism, a style befitting the Gothic-style former statehouse. Guests entering through the castle doors on Thursday, October 29 will be whisked away to circa-1890 Paris en soirée for an exquisite experience complete with elegant catering, revelous dancing, and Louisiana spirits of all sorts.
Get In the Spirit
For ten years, the Halloween-adjacent Spirits of Louisiana Gala has honored both the spirits of the Old State Capitol itself—including the protective ghost of Civil War diarist Sarah Morgan— and distilled spirits crafted right here in Louisiana, all while raising funds for facility preservation and education through the Old State Capitol Foundation.
Guests get to sip sample pours and batch cocktails crafted from every Louisiana-made spirit in the house—rum, vodka, whiskey—before ordering concoction made with their favorites from the bar. What’s a gala without elevated hors d'oeuvres? The Gilded Artichoke caters this year’s soirée, with elegant bites and gourmet plates that promise to reflect the gala’s ooh-la-la theme.
Between bouts of dancing to DJ-spun tunes and indulging in bespoke cocktails, gala guests get to peruse a wide selection of items going under the auctioneer’s hammer. This year, expect jewelry by Mimosa Handcrafted, lots of artwork, experience packages, tickets to LSU sporting events, and restaurant gift cards. Items will be listed for online bidding during the event, and are biddable after the gala concludes.
1 of 2
Photo by Jay Lamm
Dust off that sequined dress and tiara, and join the tenth annual Spirits of Louisiana Gala on October 29, at Louisiana's Old State Capitol.
2 of 2
Photo courtesy of Louisiana's Old State Capitol
The tenth annual Spirits of Louisiana Gala takes place on Thursday, October 29, at Louisiana's Old State Capitol.
The Castle Circle
If you’ve been to the Spirits of Louisiana Gala before, expect a re-imagined guest experience in 2026, thanks to the creativity of a new assemblage of ardent Old State Capitol supporters. In the spring, Mary Durusau, Director of the Old State Capitol, asked interior designer (and former OSC employee) Kayla Childress to lend a hand with planning this year’s event. Childress jumped at the chance to help give the gala the glow-up it deserves.
Out of those meetings came a new, gala-focused committee populated with enthusiasts who appreciate architecture, interior design, and the arts. They call themselves The Castle Circle. “We put together a list of ideal committee members and, surprisingly, everyone that I called was like, ‘Yes, absolutely,’” Childress said.
This energetic group of around twenty entrepreneurs, supporters, and Baton Rouge movers-and-shakers has been convening regularly, discussing ways of raising public awareness for Spirits of Louisiana, and conjuring up plans for making the evening as magical as possible. Members analyzed feedback from past gala events and developed a new, elevated plan for 2026—with an aesthetic vision that is as dramatic as the castle itself—all red drapery and bold costumes, big personalities on the dance floor, and memorable interactive elements.
“Experience is one thing that we're really honing in on this year,” said OSC Public Information Officer Kennadi Wells.
The Castle Circle’s mission goes deeper than event planning; the group aims to help a new generation discover the treasure that is Louisiana’s Old State Capitol. At the gala on October 29, guests will have the opportunity to meet the members of this new committee, along with the Louisiana Secretary of State, Nancy Landry.
“With the help of The Castle Circle, we’ve been able to chisel out the actual experience of the event, to take it to the next level,” said Wells.
Get on the roster for this grande fête today. Reserve your tickets to the Spirits of Louisiana Gala online. Learn more about the gala on the Old State Capitol’s website.
