Eighth annual Mardi Gras for a Cause takes place next Tuesday, February 25

Mardi Gras, French for Fat Tuesday, is the day before Ash Wednesday and it’s traditionally a time to celebrate and eat well before the season of Lent.

Although celebrated throughout the world, most people in the United States associate the event with the City of New Orleans. But next Tuesday evening, Feb. 25, from 6 p.m. to midnight, the Village of Warwick will play host to its eighth annual Mardi Gras for a Cause.

The Fat Tuesday Celebration will take place at 12 venues, with 15 musical acts involving 58 musicians.

Participating restaurants and pubs will offer Mardi Gras food and drink specials and all locations will have live music.

Guests are encouraged to visit several locations during the evening.

This is the cause: BackPack Snack Attack

Although there will be bangles, beads and prizes, the lavish costumes and parades may not be part of this event. But it will be a fun celebration none the less. And once again, the Warwick Mardi Gras will be a fund raiser for BackPack Snack Attack.

The non-profit organization provides nutritional snacks to almost 300 needy school children each week of the school year. The program is run entirely by a group of volunteers and supported by donations and fundraising.

BackPack Snack Attack has no overhead and 100 percent of the donated money goes to food and backpacks for the children.

Back in the day

Eight years ago, Mardi Gras for a Cause was dreamed up by a group of local musicians from Warwick who wanted to be able to celebrate the arts and the community. The successful event was designed to provide a unique and memorable opportunity for people of all ages to come together and enjoy local live music along with food and drink specials while giving back to the community.

The restaurants make a donation to Backpack Snack Attack but they are not tied to how much they earn that night.

More than $70,000 raised to date

Last year’s event raised more than $16,000, enough to fill 2,700 backpacks. And that brought the total of all Mardi Gras events to more than $70,000.

"I'm so appreciative,” said Mardi Gras volunteer impresario John Desibia, “of all the venues , performers, volunteers and a very generous Warwick community who come together and make this evening one of the coolest in village, where we all have fun and help so many children and families who are served by Backpack Snack Attack."

Essentials

For additional information visit ttps://mardigrasforacause.com/

or https://www.facebook.com/WarwickMardiGras/