Cynthia Garcia / Roundup, Michaia Hernandez / Roundup
Mardi Gras means “Fat Tuesday.”
The French Club lived up to the meaning when they hosted Pierce College’s first “Pre-Mardi Gras” festival Monday.
The club provided homemade Cajun foods like jambalaya, crepes and King Cake; a round cinnamon- roll like cake with colorful sugary icing that was imported from Louisiana.
Nikita Arefkia, Pierce student, said the cake was good.
“Oh my God it’s amazing! I also tried the jambalaya. It’s delicious too,” she added.
Pierce student Michelle Basche didn’t participate in any of the activities but was impressed with the tarot card reading.
“I think the tarot cards are the most fun. It’s more mysterious, very New Orleans” said Basche.
Gabrielle Mellibosky, the French club president, says the event was essentially a parody of real celebrations in New Orleans.
“We are the French Club, and Mardi Gras is celebrated in New Orleans which has a huge French history,” he said.
Mellibosky added that this historical celebration has never been brought to Pierce College, and he is excited to make it the French clubs first big event of the semester.
The actual Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans starts March 8th, but the Great Hall wasn’t available, therefore the club decided to organize a “Pre-Mardi Gras Festival.”
The club captured the Mardi Gras party scene with colorful décor, including images of masks, poster drawings of places in France, and filling the room with lively music both American and European.
There were also activities like tarot card reading, henna tattoo, face painting, raffle tickets for a dollar each, and the handing out of beads.
The beads were granted to the people who purchased food or participated in any of the activities, and at the end of night the male and female with the most beads were crowned Madri Gras King and Queen.
Winners of the royal titles were Ana Bautista, pierce student, who won with 27 beads and Steven Claude who won with 20 beads.
All the activities were free and the food and beverages were priced at one dollar or less.
The guests weren’t the only ones able to join the fun; all members from the French Club were allowed to participate in the day’s events and be in the running for prizes as well.
Demetrio Landeros, Pierce student and recent French club member says he became more interested in getting involved with the club.
“I’m pretty excited about being in the club. I’m not a French major but I would like to learn more,” he said.
A new batch of hot food, cake, and fresh coffee was brought out at 5:30 p.m. for the guests that joined the event in its last hours.
The second half of the event had a very lively group willing to participate in a Macarena dance and unexpected balloon fight.
The raffle winner, Pierce student Matt Watkins, was also announced at the end of the night.
Watkins took home an old-time record player. He had purchased 23 raffle tickets.
Mellibosky says that the club funded the event entirely but is hoping for a little help from Pierce.
“We are trying to get the school to give us part of what we are using for this event,” he said. “We have a budget of I believe, $900 for this event and we are planning on asking the school to give us $300.”
French club treasurer Jonathan Fackler estimated a $600 profit from food, drinks, and raffle tickets purchased.
The club’s aim with this event is teaching students about the French culture.
“We hope to make this Mardi Gras celebration an annual thing. We want to make this school more lively, as well as promote diversity” said Fackler. “We had a wonderful turnout today.”
Some students like Nathan Schroeder were enlightened by the event.
“The food inspired me to cook more often. I didn’t know much about Cajun food before today” said Schroeder.
Many people who stopped by the celebration agreed the environment was great and well planned.
“I was actually born and raised in New Orleans. I decided to check this event out because this is the closest thing I have to home,” said Emerald Ivy.
Sylvie Young, the clubs faculty advisor, says she left all the creative aspects of the event up to them.
Young says that the club has grown over the last two semesters and expects to see greater things to come.
Members from the club are also optimistic about the club and it’s future.
The club is anticipating two other big events for the semester; Music Fest and Multi-Cultural Day both involving collaboration with other Pierce College clubs.
The dates and times for their up-coming events have yet to be determined.
Check out Pierce College ASO website for contact information on the French Club at http://pierceaso.webs.com/clubs.htm
Students dance the Macarena in the Great Hall during the French club’s Mardi Gras celebration on Monday, March 7. (John Gutierrez 2011)