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BY CAILYN HINKLE
Downtown DeLand will soon get into the Mardi Gras spirit with a Fat Tuesday Block Party on Georgia Avenue.
Cafe DaVinci, at 112 W. Georgia Ave., will host the party 6-10 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25.
The block party will feature festive parade floats and live music by two-time Grammy nominee Dwayne Dopsie. The performance will take place on stage at Cafe DaVinci 7-11 p.m.
Tickets cost $10, and can be purchased online through EventBrite, at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fat-tuesday-block-party-tickets-88938358023
Proceeds will go to the Krewe of Amalee Inc., a nonprofit that supports philanthropic organizations in DeLand. There are a limited number of tickets available.
“In order to make it a comfortable evening for all guests, we have limited the number of tickets available,” Melisa Reed, a member of the Krewe of Amalee and co-owner of Cafe DaVinci, said. “By closing off Georgia Avenue, it gives us a chance to extend the party into the street, which we are very excited about.”
This is the first time a Fat Tuesday Block Party will take place in DeLand, though a Mardi Gras party was held a few years ago.
“We did do a Mardi Gras party in 2015, and had an overwhelming positive response from the community, with nearly 400 attendees,” Reed said.
Other Georgia Avenue businesses, including Persimmon Hollow, BakeChop, and Neighbors Artisan Taqueria, will take part in the celebration.
“BakeChop is working on a dinner special for the evening embracing the New Orleans vibe, and Neighbors will be serving jambalaya and a specialty crawfish taco for the night,” Reed said.
With live music, decorative floats, and festive cuisine, organizers expect that the Fat Tuesday celebration will be an exciting new event.
“We are hoping that the live music and good times will be enough for a wonderful evening!” Reed said.
