Mardi Gras

Welcome to our 13th Annual Mardi Gras, a dazzling gala of lights, music, dancing and fun for everyone! This year’s festivities will take place Saturday, February 18, 2012, when the FCC and the Gathering Place will be transformed into a bit of New Orleans right here in Minnesota. Mardi Gras is a fun filled evening that you do not want to miss! Would you love to spend a couple hours helping to change St. Stephen’s Faith Community Center into the Streets of New Orleans for Mardi Gras 2012?  We need many helpers.  This year you can sign up online to volunteer for a shift by clicking here.  Tasks will vary from hanging lights, to decorating, to setting tables for the fancy dinner, to getting tables ready for the silent auction items.  Saturday will be busy with last minute details and final display of auction items.  No previous experience necessary, and although the shifts may be listed as four hours each, sign up even if you only have a couple hours to work. 

 

Tickets for the event will be $50.00 per person which will include a four course meal, live music and dancing.  Exotic Hurricanes, Ice Martini Luge, fabulous live and silent auction items, games and great prizes will also be available for purchase! Reservations may be made in the Gathering Place after all weekend Masses beginning in January and in the parish office during the week.

 

Silent Auction

Our Silent Auction will once again be the cornerstone ofthe evening with a variety of wonderful items to tempt you including such things as beautiful framed prints for your home; theatre tickets at local repertoires; golf and bowling packages for family fun, and theme baskets for every interest. This year we will once again feature the wonderful gift baskets created by each class at St. Stephen’s School. Thanks to our generous donors there is something special for everyone.

 

Live Auction

Our exciting LIVE auction opens after dinner where each patron has an opportunity to bid for that fabulous prize of their dreams. The Live Auction is one of the many highlights of the evening. Each year we have many special items, which in the past have included a MN Twins party, beautiful trees (yes, there are trees in the Live Auction) and an entertainment/home theater package.

 

 

Highlights for 2012 include:

• Three full service seats plush seats three rows behind the Timberwolves bench with Fr. Mike
• Learning how to make sushi with Fr. Nathan
• Lunch with Ron Schara at the Game Fair
• Kissimmee Florida vacation
• Dinner for eight at Buona Sera Restaurant
• Fire truck pizza party with Thyme to Entertain for 30-40 guests
• The "wall" of wine
• A spectacular Asian dinner hosted by the Gable family.

You won’t want to miss an opportunity to bid on one of these and several other auction items.

 

Best Of The Live Auction Raffle

Your Chance to Start Even Earlier!

We would again like to give you the chance to take part in the Mardi Gras Live Auction whether you are able to attend or not! 

 

Best of the Live Auction Raffle tickets will be available beginning in January in the Gathering Place after weekend Masses, in the Parish Office during the week and also the night of Mardi Gras, February 18, 2012. Each $20 ticket allows you the chance to pick one of the 2012 select Live Auction Items. One lucky winner’s name will be drawn before the start of the Live Auction. The item they have chosen on that ticket will be pulled from the Live Auction and that lucky person will have won that Live Auction Item!

 

This opportunity will again allow any member of our extended community to take part in this great event, as you DO NOT NEED TO BE PRESENT to win!

 

The instructions are simple:

Fill out the raffle ticket. Make sure to choose the letter that corresponds with the Live Auction Item that you want to win if your ticket is pulled.
Bring the ticket and a check or cash to St. Stephen's Church.

 

This year's items include: A. Entertainment Package, B. Children's Soccer Bedroom, C. Cross Necklace, D. Pellet Grill and E. Whirlpool Tub.  Click each image below for details on the five fabulous options for the Best of the Live Raffle!

 

 

 

 

Dinner Menu

 

Our gourmet dinner will once again be catered by Nate Lane from Thyme to Entertain.

 

Soup

Smoked Turkey, Andouille Soup

Roasted Corn, Okra, Sweet Onions, Parsley

 

Salad

Spinach Salad with Mustard Yukon Potatoes, Sweet Onions,

Crispy Bacon Finished with Herb Champagne Vinaigrette

 

Entree

Creole Rubbed Pork Roast, set on Paprika Roasted Tomatoes-Black Eye Sauté and Spiced Melted Sweet Potatoes

 

Dessert

Towered Cream Cheese-Spiced Cake with a Maple Custard and Drizzled with Brandy Caramel

 

Bread and decaf coffee at each table.

 

 

Games

Once again this year we will have fun games taking place throughout the evening. Part of this fun will be Heads or Tails. Purchase your $10.00 necklace that evening to take part in the game as a coin is tossed to determine if you guessed right in order to remain standing. The last person standing will ultimately win the $500 cash prize. Don’t miss this chance to bet the odds and have some fun! This year we have a new game, Mardi Gras Safe Cracker! You could be holding the correct combination and win the safe's contents!

 

 

Schedule

Cocktails & Silent Auction....................5:15 p.m.

Dinner.................................................7:00 p.m.

Games & Raffles..................................8:15 p.m.

Close of Silent Auction Bidding ...........8:45 p.m.

Live Auction ........................................9:00 p.m.

Music & Dancing ..............Throughout the Night

 

 

Mardi Gras has grown to become the single largest fundraising event for St. Stephen’s parish and school.  Proceeds go back into the general fund impacting virtually every ministry within the parish.  In past years, proceeds have also been utilized for special needs items including automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for the church and school; new bleachers in the school gym; a new sound system for the school; a kiln for school art classes, new furniture for the parish office; as well as new furniture and toys for the new pre-school; notebook computers for the school, audio-visual equipment for use in the Faith Community Center, white boards for the school classrooms and an extreme makeover for The Refuge (youth room).

 

These significant endeavors cannot happen without YOU!

So, grab your Aunt Sally, invite your neighbors, or get all the girls in your book club and reserve a table together, as Mardi Gras is a fun filled evening that you do not want to miss!