The city of Saratoga Springs will be alive with the Mardi-Gras spirit on Sunday, April 26 when the city plays host to the third-annual Mardi-Gras Festival.
This year's festivities will include an "Arti-Gras" Parade in the
city's Arts District on Beekman Street, a Cajun cooking competition and
live music in the Saratoga Downtowner Hotel parking lot including an
array of other activities for the whole family.
The two-day celebration was originally created by The Giving Circle, a local not-for-profit organization aimed at helping the residents of Waveland, Mississippi rebuild their city, in 2007 in order to generate awareness about the communities affected by Hurricane Katrina including the growing Latino community here in Saratoga Springs, Ron Deutsch, co-chair of Saratoga Mardi-Gras, said.
"Relief efforts are starting to dry up in Waveland and I think there is a lot of Katrina fatigue going on right now," Deutsch said. "A lot of people probably think it should have been fixed and taken care of by now, but regrettably it hasn't. There are still 1,000s of people who are homeless or displaced."
Before Sunday's festivities, The Giving Circle in conjunction with the Saratoga County Arts Council will host a fundraising event at the Arts Center to help kick off the celebration on Saturday, April 25. The program will include a special showing of the Academy Award nominated film "Trouble the Water," which takes viewers inside two-self described street hustlers who become heroes to people who survived the storm and then seize a chance for a new beginning. The film will be followed by panel presentations with Saratoga natives who have volunteered their time in Waveland. The SCEOC Latino Community Advocacy Program will also feature the "Estamos Aqui" art exhibit during the event. Tickets are $30 and all proceeds will go towards benefitting the SCEOC and efforts to rebuild the Waveland community.
Sunday's Mardi-Gras celebration begins at 11:30 a.m. with the Arti-Gras Parade that will feature floats, marching bands, a Mardi Gras King and Queen and much more. Mayor Scott Johnson will also serve as the parade's Grand Marshal. The parade will be followed with musical performances by Sheri Nolan, Love My Goat, Jim Gaudett and Big Medicine in the parking lot of the Saratoga Downtowner Hotel at 1 p.m. There will also be a Cajun Cooking Competition and Tasting Festival taking place at participating Saratoga Springs restaurants from 1-5 p.m.
"It just gets bigger ever year," Deutsch said. "The Saratoga community has been very supportive and continues to embrace the festival."
For a full schedule of events, visit www.saratogamardigras.org
The two-day celebration was originally created by The Giving Circle, a local not-for-profit organization aimed at helping the residents of Waveland, Mississippi rebuild their city, in 2007 in order to generate awareness about the communities affected by Hurricane Katrina including the growing Latino community here in Saratoga Springs, Ron Deutsch, co-chair of Saratoga Mardi-Gras, said.
"Relief efforts are starting to dry up in Waveland and I think there is a lot of Katrina fatigue going on right now," Deutsch said. "A lot of people probably think it should have been fixed and taken care of by now, but regrettably it hasn't. There are still 1,000s of people who are homeless or displaced."
Before Sunday's festivities, The Giving Circle in conjunction with the Saratoga County Arts Council will host a fundraising event at the Arts Center to help kick off the celebration on Saturday, April 25. The program will include a special showing of the Academy Award nominated film "Trouble the Water," which takes viewers inside two-self described street hustlers who become heroes to people who survived the storm and then seize a chance for a new beginning. The film will be followed by panel presentations with Saratoga natives who have volunteered their time in Waveland. The SCEOC Latino Community Advocacy Program will also feature the "Estamos Aqui" art exhibit during the event. Tickets are $30 and all proceeds will go towards benefitting the SCEOC and efforts to rebuild the Waveland community.
Sunday's Mardi-Gras celebration begins at 11:30 a.m. with the Arti-Gras Parade that will feature floats, marching bands, a Mardi Gras King and Queen and much more. Mayor Scott Johnson will also serve as the parade's Grand Marshal. The parade will be followed with musical performances by Sheri Nolan, Love My Goat, Jim Gaudett and Big Medicine in the parking lot of the Saratoga Downtowner Hotel at 1 p.m. There will also be a Cajun Cooking Competition and Tasting Festival taking place at participating Saratoga Springs restaurants from 1-5 p.m.
"It just gets bigger ever year," Deutsch said. "The Saratoga community has been very supportive and continues to embrace the festival."
For a full schedule of events, visit www.saratogamardigras.org
Main Menu
Leave a comment