BATON ROUGE — Residents in Baton Rouge celebrated Independence Day with a special event downtown with America 250 on the River.

The free event featured an afternoon filled with live entertainment showcasing Louisiana talent and celebrating America's 250th birthday.

"America's 250th birthday is a once-in-a-generation celebration, and there's no better place to celebrate than right here in Louisiana," said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. "Our state has played an important role in America's story, and this concert is an opportunity for us to come together and celebrate the freedoms and opportunities that unite us as Americans."

Residents enjoyed patriotic performances from  the Military Concert Band, Amanda Shaw, Rockin' Dopsie Jr. and the Zydeco Twisters, John Schneider, and Wayne Toups, widely known as the "King of ZydeCajun."

The event will culminate at 9 p.m. with the WBRZ Fireworks Extravanganza, which will light up the downtown skyline along with the Mississippi River waterfront.