“Through The Crystal Ball…Past, Present & Beyond”
Saturday, March 4, 2017
Hear Ye, Hear Ye, One and All. Come and join Our Festive Ball.
An Invitation from the Queen, More fun than You have ever seen.
Saturday Night and Sunday, too, the Ojai Mardi Gras Wake Up! Krewe
Will entertain and treat you right, Come see the Creatures of the Night,
The Wizards & the Sages too,You all will be our Noble Krewe,
Come dance with us. Come one and all. We’ll see you at the Crystal Ball!
This year the Ojai Mardi Gras Wake Up! Krewe is hosting their 27th Annual Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball on Saturday, March 4, 7:30 pm till 1:00 am, at the Ojai Art Center, 113 Montgomery Street in downtown Ojai. This is the one party you do not want to miss! We are launching this year’s Mardi Gras with a traditional New Orleans Second Line Band Parade beginning at 7:30 pm in front of the Art Center, so don’t be late!
The theme this year is “Through the Crystal Ball…Past, Present & Beyond”. Come celebrate the brilliant light of discovery as we gaze into the future always keeping one eye on the mysteries of the past. Like the alchemists of old we will search for life’s great metaphysical secrets. Like the caterpillar we will fly as butterflies. We will turn sand into gold and water into wine.
Put on your dancing shoes ‘cause the Ojai Mardi Gras Band is hotter than ever, featuring band director Patricia Cardinali on guitar, percussion and those crazy vocals that can start a fire. Be ready for a night of funk, soul, rock and Cajun dance music New Orleans style that is sure to keep you on your feet. The band also features Connie Early on vocals, from the band Aquarius, who can only be described as a ‘force of nature’ and Ron Seba on slide guitar, rhythm guitar, and vocals straight from the swamps of the bayou. On lead guitar we have the powerful stylings of Maitland Ward. In the rhythm section we’ve got the smokin’ hot bass of Stan ‘The Man’ Taylor and keepin’ it all together, Robert Rachelli beatin’ on the drums. Be prepared for a few All-Star guests as well that promise to be The Bomb! Also entertaining on the Art Center Stage will be Wild Stallion DJ with John Riddell.
The “Art Fools”, a brilliant, dedicated and playful collective of artists, sculptors, painters and hangers, have spent the past few months creating imaginative sets, and delicious decorations that will transform the Ojai Art Center into magical mystical mayhem. The fabulous local art that will cover the walls will be on display in the gallery till the end of March curated by one of Ojai’s best artists, Iris Williams.
Join in the costume contest, the traditional bead throw and of course the Coronation of this year’s Royal Couple, Queen Kimberly Fouché-Levine and King Michael Levine. This year’s Coronation will include a World Premiere Theatrical Presentation that you won’t want to miss. Cajun snacks and a no-host bar will flow all night long and a crazy good time is guaranteed for all!
The following day, on Sunday March 5th from 12-3pm, the party continues with a Fais-Do-Do: Cajun Dance Party, a family oriented musical event with Mark Parson & Crowfoot. There will be Free Cajun dance lessons and a face painter, so bring the grandparents and your kids in costume, plus your dancing shoes for an afternoon of art, music and Mardi Gras fun. Admission is $5 for adults and kids under 12 are Free.
Tickets for the Mardi Gras are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Advance tickets available now ojaimardigras.com, directly from most Krewe members, and at the following stores: Ojai Coffee Roasting Co, Studio Sauvageau, and Ojai Creates in Ojai; also at Cardinali Bros. Music in Meiners Oaks. More info: Mardi Gras Hotline: (805) 646-7843 or the Contact button on this website.
It’s hard to believe that it’s been 27 years since we celebrated our 1st Mardi Gras in Ojai. But it’s easy to see how it gets to be more fun every year. With hundreds of people coming to Ojai to celebrate with us for almost three decades now we would hope that we would finally get it right. LOL. It was 1990 when a simple New Orleans girl named Lyle Mathews brought the Mardi Gras party with her to our town and we just haven’t been able to kick the habit since. Lyle is doing her partying in heaven these days but all of her friends put on this Mardi Gras each year and benefit many of those in need here in Ojai and so far the Ojai Mardi Gras has donated over $50,000 to needy families over the years.
The Ojai Mardi Gras Wake-Up! Krewe, Inc. is a California Public Benefit Non-Profit Organization. Proceeds from the Masquerade Ball and Fais-Do-Do go back to the community.