In an effort to raise money for public art, the non-profit group Friends of Redondo Beach Arts, hosts a fundraiser that plays off the essence of an ancient, New Orleans style carnival called Mardi Gras. The benefit event is cleverly named mARTi Gras and will take place this Friday at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center from 7:30 – 11:30p.m. where at least forty masks produced by local artists will be up for auction. Most Mardi Gras festivities usually include above average eating, merriment, drinking, dancing, beads, & music that traditionally precede the Roman Catholic holiday of Lent, a forty day period of fasting between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday.
mARTi Gras in Redondo Beach (Image courtesy of Friends of Redondo Beach Arts)
The event on Friday will include food by Ragin’ Cagun, dancing to live music by Interstate 10, cocktails by Bar One, some stilt walkers, a magician, and a psychic. Attendees could also win a handcrafted Mardi Gras mask.
One of the goals of Friends of Redondo Beach Arts is to continue to work with art-minded enthusiasts through fundraising and collaboration in an effort to create and expand artistic and cultural events for the Redondo Beach community.
The Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center is located at 1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd. and $50 tickets can be purchased online at Friends of Redondo Beach Art’s website. Visit their facebook page for more information about this event.