Time to get the Mardi started
If residents aren’t able to take a trip to New Orleans for Fat Tuesday, that doesn’t mean they have to miss out on all of the excitement of Mardi Gras. Soroptimist International Pahrump Valley (SIPV) is bringing this holiday right to the valley with its very own annual Mardi Gras celebration and there’s still time to score tickets before they’re all gone.
An event offering residents a night of carnival revelry, Mardi Gras is about more than just throwing a great party, however. All of that fun will ultimately benefit the community by raising funds to support one of SIPV’s flagship programs, its Live Your Dream educational award.
“Get ready to celebrate with flair, feathers and fun at Soroptimist International Pahrump Valley’s annual Mardi Gras Benefit. Our masks are ready – are yours?” information on the event reads. “Join us for an unforgettable evening filled with dazzling décor, live entertainment, delicious Cajun-inspired cuisine, exciting raffles and spirited games – all in the vibrant colors and energy of Mardi Gras.”
“It promises to be a memorable evening of fun and good-natured fundraising,” SIPV member and event chair Nancy Davis told the Pahrump Valley Times with evident enthusiasm.
The event will include a buffet dinner, along with the traditional 50/50 raffle in which the winner gets half of the money generated by that raffle. A silent auction will allow attendees to quietly and privately put in bids for an assortment of gift baskets and other items and for those who like their bidding accompanied by a little more action, a live auction will take place. The always-popular Dessert Dash will be offering all kinds of sumptuous treats to tempt any sweet tooth and the Treasure Palooza, a giant “purse” filled with gift certificates, will be featured, too.
With Mardi Gras an occasion that brings out the party masks, colored beads and boldly-hued attire, the SIPV event sees plenty of carnival-style clothing. For the first time, this year’s shindig will include a costume contest, so attendees are encouraged to pull out all the stops for their chance to be dubbed best-dressed.
In addition to everything else on tap for Mardi Gras, this year’s event will include several special presentations.
“We will be honoring our top recipient of the Live Your Dream educational award, who is a local that you just might know. Our Community Award Winner will also be announced and this person is an exceptional force with the youth of our community and, for the first time, is a man. Our prestigious Ruby Award Winner is also a tremendous asset to our community’s youth and is president of another local charity,” Davis detailed, keeping the names under wraps until the event.
“It all promises to be a festive evening for a wonderful cause of providing women and girls in our community with access to the education and training they need to achieve economic empowerment!” she concluded.
SIPV’s annual Mardi Gras Benefit is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 21 inside the Pahrump Nugget Events Center. Doors will open at 4:30 p.m. with dinner set for 6 p.m.
Tickets are $75 per person and can be purchased at givebutter.com/2026SIPVMardiGras
For more information visit SoroptimistPV.com or email SIPVPresident@SoroptimistPV.com
Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com
