The annual St. Francis of Assisi Mardi Gras Celebration is a one-of-a-kind event, says Edith Spells.
{{tncms-inline alignment="left" content="<p><strong>What:</strong> St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church will hold its annual Mardi Gras Celebration.</p> <p><strong>When:</strong> 7 p.m.-midnight next Saturday, Feb.8</p> <p><strong>Where:</strong> Leflore County Civic Center</p> <p><strong>Details:</strong> All proceeds benefit St. Francis of Assisi School. For more information, call 453-9511.</p>" id="a29d2878-5beb-4e62-afe6-d24d0f8b90c5" style-type="bio" title="COMING UP" type="relcontent"}}
“No one else has a Mardi Gras here in Greenwood, and we try to please the crowd,” said Spells, a member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church’s annual Mardi Gras Celebration planning committee. “As long as you please the crowd, they will keep coming back.”
The 22nd Mardi Gras Celebration will be held from 7 p.m. to midnight next Saturday, Feb. 8. The event will be held at the Leflore County Civic Center.
Tickets to the event are $35 each and include a night of dancing, a New Orleans-style buffet and a raffle.
“It’s festive, it’s fun, and I think it’s also a respectful crowd,” said the Rev. Joachim Studwell, pastor of St. Francis Church. “It’s people getting together who want to be together.”
The live entertainment will be Natchez group ’N Rhythm, which will perform a variety of songs.
Some of the music will include “rhythm and blues, Mardi Gras music, requests and line dance music,” said Dianne Jones, a member of the Mardi Gras committee.
The event each year has a festive atmosphere, with music, food, fellowship and dancing. The civic center features Mardi Gras decor and setups in shades of purple, gold and green.
“A lot of people look forward to it each year,” said Jones.
Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, refers to events of celebration held before the Christian season of Lent, which is a six-week, solemn period leading up to Easter.
This year, Mardi Gras Day is Feb. 25, which is the day before Ash Wednesday.
The St. Francis Mardi Gras always draws a crowd “because we don’t have a lot of places to socialize and have fun, so people love when there’s an opportunity for that,” said Jackie Ratliff, a member of the Mardi Gras committee.
Spells said she enjoys preparing for the big event — “the anticipation, the anxiety, the rush and getting ready for it.”
Robert Tanner, a member of the Mardi Gras committee, said planning a large-scale event can be a little stressful at times, but it’s a worthwhile endeavor.
“When we move forward to that night and you get in there, you forget about (the stress of planning), because it’s so beautiful,” he said.
The St. Francis Mardi Gras celebration is open to the community, with several traveling from outside of the Greenwood area to attend.
“If they come one time, they usually come back,” said Jones. “Some have been coming for years.”
The celebration is held by the church as a fundraiser for St. Francis of Assisi School.
“The school has been a very important part of this community since its beginning, and it has educated a lot of students,” said Spells. “The doors were open not only to those who attended the school, but they always had other activities here, and the students and children were always invited to come and be a part of that.”
The members of the committee, who are all parishioners at St. Francis Church, with many who are St. Francis School alumni, feel it’s important to hold this fundraiser for the school each year.
“We feel the need now to help keep the doors open and support those students who are here and the ones who want to come here,” said Spells. “That’s what we really want — to keep the doors open. It would be a sad day to have to say that the school is closing.”
The proceeds from the event help reduce the cost of tuition.
“Every child who attends receives financial assistance,” said Jackie Cooper-Lewis, committee member and the school’s principal.
Cooper-Lewis said St. Francis’ tuition cost is half the amount of what it takes to educate a student annually.
“Our tuition is $3,000 per year, and that’s a minimal fee that families have to pay,” she said. “I don’t think there’s anywhere else in the state, or outside of the state, you will find a tuition in that amount.”
Cooper-Lewis said all of the assistance the school receives is greatly appreciated and needed.
“We look for other ways to make up for that $3,000, and this is so that children and their families will be able to afford a quality school and be able to receive a Catholic education.”
The school, along with the church, has been in Greenwood for 69 years.
It’s longevity “is a testament to the job that the school does and the quality of education that (the students) get here,” said Tanner.
The Mardi Gras Celebration, a popular annual event, is also a way the church members can give something back to the community.
“St. Francis has done so much for this community, not just Catholics but the whole community,” said Tanner. “It’s a community event where people can stay connected with us.”
To help offset the costs of the event, the church has held a few bingo nights.
“That’s helped to defray some of the costs,” said Studwell. “Parishioners have very kindly donated gifts as prizes. We’ve had a nice steady group of people, and it’s a friendly environment. I think it’s helped raise awareness of the Mardi Gras, too.”
Tickets are $35 each and can be purchased at the school, 2607 U.S. 82 E., or at the parish office, 2613 U.S. 82 E., or by calling Spells at 455-1861, the church at 453-0623 or the school at 453-9511. Attire is Mardi Gras festive or semi-formal, and the event is BYOB.
For more information about the school, visit www.sfgwschool.org.
• Contact Ruthie Robison at 581-7235 or rrobison@gwcommonwealth.com.
What: St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church will hold its annual Mardi Gras Celebration.
When: 7 p.m.-midnight next Saturday, Feb.8
Where: Leflore County Civic Center
Details: All proceeds benefit St. Francis of Assisi School. For more information, call 453-9511.
