My how time flies! We are quickly approaching Fat Tuesday, the end of Mardi Gras and the traditional downtown Mardi Gras gala.

This year the event is Feb. 12, bringing an end to an early Mardi Gras season. The Natchez Downtown Development Association relies heavily on this gala as its main fundraiser since the city cut its funding a few years back. This year’s gala will have The Court Jesters providing the music for the evening. There will be a silent auction from 6 to 8 p.m. with some unique and wonderful items to bid on from casino packages, to relaxing weekend getaways to some of Natchez’s antebellum bed and breakfast stays.

Tickets for the evening festivities are available at a number of merchants in town — Melancon’s Antique Emporium, Vintage Retreat, Toby’s Salon, Mrs. Holder’s Antiques, Mississippi Gold, Dianne’s Frame Shop, Pampered Sole, Smith’s Printing and Katie’s Ladies — or you can reserve your tickets calling 601-238-8325, and the advance ticket price is $20 or $25 at the door.

There will be elegant hors d’oeuvre and a cash bar.

This is an organization whose sole purpose is to help revitalize the downtown area and is at present purely volunteer-based. The money raised by this gala is used to advertise and put on Second Saturday each month trying to get more and more people to discover the treasure we have downtown in the different shops and restaurants. Since we receive no funding from the city and just a small but greatly appreciated amount from the county, we depend on the money raised on the gala and membership fees to operate.

This group is dedicated to a very important cause, and if there is anyone interested in helping and getting involved in working to revitalize the downtown area, please let us know. You can do that by grabbing one of the people you see helping with the gala that night or calling P.J. Forrest at 601-920-9432.

Again, we hope we see you at the gala, and more importantly, we hope to see you at future downtown events helping us revitalize downtown.

 

Steve Davis is a member of the Natchez Downtown Development Association.