VERO BEACH — There was no need to go all the way to New Orleans’s Bourbon Street – The Fat Tuesday celebration came to Vero Saturday night in all its boisterous feathery finery at the Moonlight Mardi Gras Party to benefit the Heritage Center in downtown Vero Beach.
Clearly getting into the spirit of the festive carnival season, revelers were outfitted in shimmering sequins and feathered boas, with plenty of green and purple, gold and glitz.
Maintaining the tradition of Mardi Gras masquerade, faces were hidden behind a variety of masks –all manner of artistic, extravagant and simple feathered styles, elaborate Venetian varieties hiding the entire face and Phantom of the Opera masks hiding one side, and even a few somewhat eerie cardboard half-face masks.
But even if you couldn’t tell who was behind the mask, you could tell they were having a good time, rocking away to Stoney and the House Rockers’ impressive mix of blues and Bayou, rock and jazz.
Chef Lou Kolbauer of Wild Thyme Catering, recently voted as one of the four finalists in the Homeless Family Center’s Top Chef Challenge, whipped up a delectable assortment of Cajun cuisine for the evening, including a rich Gumbo, crawfish cakes topped with shrimp, and sumptuous mushrooms stuffed with crab and cheese.
The traditional Mardi Gras dessert is a King Cake, which former New Orleans resident Angela Morgan explained is a celebration of the Three Kings of Christmas.
Although the cakes served at the event didn’t have it, she added, “There’s supposed to be a little baby toy inside representing Jesus. Traditionally, the person who finds the baby hosts the party next year.”
Tarot card reader Jan Simone was kept busy the entire evening. Behind closed doors in a cozy little Gypsy alcove set up in the adjacent Citrus Museum, a steady stream of guests shuffled the deck to get a glimpse of what was to come.
The party was a far cry from the Heritage Center’s former military styled February event, but as Heritage Center executive director Rebecca Rickey explained, after 18 years it was time for a change.
“We tossed around ideas at a committee meeting and thought, no one else does a Mardi Gras party, and it was the right time of year for it.”
Vero Beach High School Photo Tech teacher Todd Wood brought a couple of his students and set up a backdrop to offer guests photos of themselves, and garner a little experience along the way.
“It’s good to get them out of the classroom and give them some real world experience,” said Wood. “A wedding would be high pressure, but this is relaxed and fun.”
“I was surprised that everyone went all out with their costumes,” said Cathie Callery, who co-chaired the event with Robert Votaw and Milt Thomas. “We’ve even had a lot of Mardi Gras Krews.”
Funds raised at the event help with the preservation, restoration and maintenance of the Heritage Center, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Originally built in 1935 as a
Community Building, the party was also a great way to showcase the versatility of the venue as an ideal spot for gatherings, dances, parties and weddings.