Mardi Gras is back in action with a new look

Por Margie M. Palmer | Reportero SDUN

The Hillcrest Business Association (HBA) and Greater San Diego Business Association Charitable Foundation seem to have kissed and made up since last year’s Mardi Gras fallout.

In Dec. 2012, the HBA board of directors voted to forgo participation in the 2013 Hillcrest Mardi Gras; the event had been jointly owned and coproduced by both organizations for a dozen years at that point, but then-HBA executive director Benjamin Nichols said it was time to “take a step back and look at other options.”

In previous years the HBA had taken on the majority of the work, he said in a press release, and their members had conducted all major activities for the production of the event including handling all the permitting, finances, logistics and coordination of promotions.

“If the Foundation is interested in producing the event on their own, we welcome it,” he said at the time.

Foundation president and LGBT Weekly Publisher Stampp Corbin felt the show must go on. Bill Hardt was quickly hired to plan the large-scale party, but the Feb. 12, 2012 Mardi Gras Street Fair fell short.

The Hillcrest Mardi Gras had been originally created to raise money for HBA neighborhood beautification projects and the Foundation’s LGBT scholarship program. Corbin said that scholarship giving fell by 50 percent this year due to last year’s lackluster attendance.

Crowds were much smaller than were seen in previous years, according to attendees, and the night lacked a certain je ne sais quoi.

But now, the former Mardi Gras Street Fair has been reprised and revamped and is receiving a much-needed makeover.

HBA President Jonathan Hale said that although they’ve renewed their partnership with the Foundation, the HBA has completely taken over production.

“We’re moving forward with a new version of the event and have rebranded it as Hillcrest Fat Tuesday,” he said, “and it will have a bigger, better and larger footprint.”

The 2014 version will take place along University Avenue between 10th Avenue and Herbert Street, Hale said, and will include a parade, street performers, an outdoor nightclub and dance party, gourmet food vendors and a performance stage.

HBA Executive Director Sonya Stauffer said the all-ages parade will start at Herbert Street and run west down University Avenue to 10th Avenue. She said some of the participating floats and contingents will stop and stage themselves between Vermont Street and 10th Avenue — the area to be cordoned-off for the street party that will immediately follow the parade. This portion of Fat Tuesday will still be ages 21+, she said.

DJ Taj and Nikno will share deejay responsibilities and Tootie from Lips and Paris Sukoki Max will emcee the performance stage.

“We’ve gotten a really good response on this so far and it’s rounding up to be a great event,” Stauffer said. “There’s going to be trapeze artists, stilt walkers and a lot of other fun things; we’re even working with club owners to try to set up other parties throughout Hillcrest after our event closes down.”

Corbin said he’s happy the Foundation and the HBA are able to work together again to produce an event that benefits the scholarship program and neighborhood projects.

“Sometimes, people in different organizations have history and they need to take time out from one another before they can come back and resolve their relationship,” he said. “Last year [the HBA] decided they wanted to take some time off but this year they were able to come back and we can work together, and that’s great. They are putting it on and we are going to be a participant in the proceeds, and that’s how it’s going to go.”

According to Wikipedia, Mardi Gras, which means Fat Tuesday in French, commemorates the final day of indulgence before fasting begins on Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. It is a culmination of festivities which are celebrated worldwide, but the annual event in New Orleans’ French Quarter has become one of the most popular such celebrations within the U.S.

Hillcrest Fat Tuesday will take place on Tuesday, March 4. The parade will kick off at 6 p.m. at the corner of Herbert Street and University Avenue and the 21+ street party between Vermont and 10th streets will start at 7 p.m. More information and pre-sale tickets are available now on the hillcrestfattuesday.com website.

—SDUN Assistant Editor Morgan M. Hurley contributed to this report.