{"id":244209,"date":"2011-03-05T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2011-03-05T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sdnews.com\/news-celebrating-10-years-of-fat-tuesdays-in-hillcrest\/"},"modified":"2011-03-05T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2011-03-05T08:00:00","slug":"news-celebrating-10-years-of-fat-tuesdays-in-hillcrest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/news-celebrating-10-years-of-fat-tuesdays-in-hillcrest\/","title":{"rendered":"News: Celebrating 10 years of Fat Tuesdays in Hillcrest"},"content":{"rendered":"

Por David Schwab | Reportero SDUN<\/strong><\/p>\n

Billed as the \u201cstreet party of the decade,\u201d Hillcrest Mardi Gras promises \u201ca whimsical carnival honoring abandonment and merriment\u201d on Fat Tuesday, March 8,<\/p>\n

\"News:<\/a>
In keeping with Fat Tuesday tradition, Hillcrest's Mardi Gras celebration will offer an array of party favors including the infamous beads. (Courtesy HBIA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

from 6 to 11 p.m.<\/p>\n

This year marks its 10th anniversary, with the community fest on three blocks of University Avenue between First and Fourth avenues growing from small beginnings to become what it is today\u2014a signature event.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first year it started in Urban Mo\u2019s parking lot and now it\u2019s over 2,000 people across four blocks on University with the street closed,\u201d Chris Patrick said, one half of the marketing\/PR team for Hillcrest Mardi Gras along with Lisa Weir of Hillcrest Business Association (HBA).<\/p>\n

Patrick noted the decade-old Mardi Gras is distinctive befitting its host community\u2019s style.<\/p>\n

\u201cHillcrest is a safe haven where we celebrate diversity,\u201d he said. \u201cYou can come as you are and celebrate.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s one of the strengths in this community, our ability to grow sustainably with the community,\u201d Lisa Weir noted, marketing and communications program manager of HBA, the community\u2019s Business Improvement District.<\/p>\n

Hillcrest Mardi Gras is planned and executed each year by a Volunteer Committee including: Tom Abbas (Abbas Jenson & Cundari Certified Public Accountants) , Danny Becht (Volunteer), Stampp Corbin (San Diego LGBT Weekly<\/em>), Shawn Dooley (Ascent Real Estate), Jay Jones (Rage Monthly<\/em>), Benjamin Nicholls (HBA), Chris Patrick (Urban Mo\u2019s), Russell Poncik (JRE | Media), Matt Ramon (Urban Mo\u2019s), Chris Shaw (Urban Mo\u2019s), Tootie (LIPS), and Weir (HBA).<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a year-long process to secure sponsorships and come up with creative elements for the event,\u201d said Weir about event planning. \u201cIt is such a staple in this community that planning is sort of always happening.\u201d<\/p>\n

Weir noted the event continues to grow in stature.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s changed over time in size and magnitude,\u201d she said. \u201cWe now have a grand stage so we\u2019re able to have great lineups year-in and year-out with performing artists and bands, a drag queen, a huge dance tent and bigger-and-better, party-oriented features like confetti: It\u2019s just a huge street party. The energy we\u2019re able to throw off \u2026 it\u2019s the best Mardi Gras party in San Diego.\u201d<\/p>\n

And unlike similar Fat Tuesday parties elsewhere around the U.S., Weir pointed out, \u201cThis event directly benefits the community.\u201d<\/p>\n

The \u201cfeast before the fast,\u201d Mardi Gras is sponsored by the Greater San Diego Business Association (GSDBA), the Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, through its Charitable\u00a0Foundation which issues annual youth scholarships, and HBA, with all street party proceeds benefiting both groups.<\/p>\n

This year with the help of DJ Kimberly S, event entertainment will include Wendy Ho, the girls from Lips, the Gogo Dancers and Paris Antoinette Queen.<\/p>\n

Weir noted the event and the business community have \u201cbonded\u201d over the years accounting for Hillcrest-style Mardi Gras\u2019 growing popularity and success.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe now have a solidified relationship with the business community and are able to shut down the street along University year after year, which speaks to the relationship the HBA has with business,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Hillcrest Mardi Gras remains a 21-and-up age event. Food and other drink will be available for purchase from participating vendors and venues.<\/p>\n

There will be plenty of party favors available including an unimaginable array of Mardi Gras beads.<\/p>\n

Advance tickets costing $15 in advance ($20 day of) and $50 advance ($75 day of) for a V.I.P. pass including express entry, private reception area and private bathrooms are available at: Baja Betty\u2019s at 1421 University Ave., Urban Mo\u2019s at 308 University Ave., and Obelisk Bookstore at 1029 University Ave.<\/p>\n

Patrons can also purchase tickets online at the website Hillcrestmardigras.org. Ticket purchases are tax-deductible. No refunds are offered on ticket purchases and the festival will take place rain or shine. Tickets are on sale now.<\/p>\n

Hillcrest Mardi Gras is a nonprofit organization. Any proceeds the group makes from the event are donated to the beautification of Hillcrest through the HBA and to the Youth Scholarship Fund through the GSDBA.<\/p>\n

For more information, visit Hillcrestmardigras.com.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Dave Schwab | SDUN Reporter Billed as the \u201cstreet party of the decade,\u201d Hillcrest Mardi Gras promises \u201ca whimsical carnival honoring abandonment and merriment\u201d on Fat Tuesday, March 8, from 6 to 11 p.m. This year marks its 10th anniversary, with the community fest on three blocks of University Avenue between First and Fourth […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":840,"featured_media":244208,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"11555","_seopress_titles_title":"News: Celebrating 10 years of Fat Tuesdays in Hillcrest","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[11549,11551,11593,11555],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-244209","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts-entertainment","category-news","category-no-images","category-uptown-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/244209","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/840"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=244209"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/244209\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/244208"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=244209"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=244209"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=244209"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}