Tickets sell out at successful first Mardi Gras Gala

Published 11:19 am Friday, March 7, 2025

By Noah Wortham

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By NOAH WORTHAM | Managing Editor

COLUMBIANA – Residents from across Shelby County enjoyed a night of festive entertainment while supporting local arts during the inaugural Mardi Gras Gala.

The Mardi Gras Gala took place in the Grande Hall on Saturday, March 1 and served as the first major fundraiser of the year for the Shelby County Arts Council. The event was made possible thanks to its sponsors: the Novella Club of Columbiana, the Culture Club of Columbiana and the Vignette Club.

“It went better than we could have imagined,” said Liz Grandy, Mardi Gras Gala coordinator. “It was fantastic.”

Despite being the event’s very first outing, the gala was packed—having completely sold out with all 295 tickets accounted for and 38 tables filled.

“We had people asking how they could reserve next year’s tables even before they sat down to eat dinner,” Grandy said. “That was great.”

The gala began with a reception that allowed attendees to mix and mingle while enjoying beverages and hors d’oeuvres alongside a silent auction which featured nearly 60 items and brought in more than $7,000 for the SCAC. Some of the items featured during the silent auction were a beach getaway, a pizza oven donated by Brown Lumber, gift baskets and gift cards to restaurants. Afterward, dinner for the gala was catered by The Fish Market in Hoover.

“Nancy Drakos, she headed up all of the kitchen and serving staff and did just an incredible job organizing that and keeping us moving along,” Grandy said.

Throughout the night, “Dollar” Bill Lawson served as the emcee and entertained the crowd.

“He did a fantastic job,” Grandy said. “He was so much fun to work with.”

Matt Devine and the Big Greasy Brass Band serenaded guests with its brass ensemble and woodwind accompaniment—delivering upbeat tunes with a Cajun twist to compliment the Mardi Gras festivities.

“They were phenomenal,” Grandy said. “They were a lot of fun.”

During the gala, the clubs also hosted a live auction which Grandy said she found to be exciting, having never been to one in person before. The live auction featured seven different items for attendees to bid on, including a necklace from Levy’s Fine Jewelry, a private dinner for six by chef John Harrison, a beach getaway, a lake getaway, a print of the Shelby County Arts Council mural and a Sean of the South VIP package.

As one of the organization’s biggest fundraisers of the year, the Shelby County Arts Council received proceeds from the gala to support its mission of promoting the arts and culture in Shelby County.

“We love it,” Grandy said. “We really enjoy getting to support such a big and local organization that does so much good for the community.”

With the overwhelming amount of attendance and positive reception from the community, the clubs plan to bring the Mardi Gras Gala again for another iteration in 2026.

“We’re thrilled that we were able to raise so much money for the arts council and help them out this year and hopefully again next year,” Grandy said.

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