As Fat Tuesday kicks off in New Orleans today, a Mardi Gras celebration will be held in San Francisco's Fillmore District to celebrate the city's contributions to jazz and blues music.
"Mardi Gras San Francisco Style" is organized by The Village Project, a nonprofit that focuses on cultural enrichment and education in the city's Western Addition neighborhood, executive director and founder Adrian Williams said.
This is the seventh year the celebration has been held, and Williams said at least 1,000 people are expected to attend.
The event will start with a free concert from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Fillmore Plaza at 1475 Fillmore St., and will be followed by a New Orleans-style processional down to a masquerade ball at the West Bay Conference Center at 1290 Fillmore St. Williams, who is from Louisiana and came up with the idea for the event, is working with Fillmore Street restaurants, many of which are offering special deals.
"We try to emulate New Orleans but we focus on the Fillmore," she said. "It's not Bourbon Street; we have Fillmore Street."
Tickets to the masquerade ball start at $35 per person or $60 for couples. The purchase of a $10 wristband allows those not attending the ball to access the specials at participating restaurants.
To buy tickets, or for more information about the event, people can go to www.thevillageprojectsf.eventbrite.com.
