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Treasure Island considers Mardi Gras Festival in ’09
By LEE DIEKEMPER
Article published on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 |
TREASURE ISLAND – There won’t be a Labor Day weekend festival on Treasure Island but there could be a Mardi Gras festival next winter.
In an effort to give the city some needed marketing as well as a potential influx of revenue, Treasure Island Commissioner Phil Collins had tried to organize a weekend festival to close the summer on Labor Day weekend. He envisioned a classic rock-themed celebration as a bookend to the Sun, Sand and Swing which is set for Memorial Day weekend.
But Collins found a few roadblocks in his goal. He discovered it difficult to find sponsors due to the fact businesses are a bit tight with their funds due to the downturn in the local economy. Time was also a roadblock as he hoped to have his festival organized by early this month.
But in the process, Collins may have found a potential organizer for a springtime festival.
Ed Lee, representing a local chapter of the Kiwanis, spoke at the May 6 Treasure Island city commission meeting with an offer to potentially host a Mardi Gras festival next spring to be held on the island.
“It would be a traditional Mardi Gras celebration, only on the beach,” Lee said. He envisioned the celebration to include a standard Mardi Gras parade, possibly down the Treasure Island causeway.
Lee did some research and noted a void of Mardi Gras celebrations in the near vicinity of the island and thought this has the potential of being something big in the not so distant future.
Potentially the festival would be a three-day affair, Feb. 20-22. Lee also noted he has contacts that could lure prominent corporate sponsors including Publix and beer distributorships.
“We will find some sponsors,” Lee said. “The hidden benefit for Treasure Island is that Kiwanis is obligated to return all proceeds back to the community.”
Lee also noted a Mardi Gras festival in the late winter days has the potential of being much bigger than a Labor Day gathering due to weather, potential lack of hurricanes and many more tourists in the vicinity during that time of the year.
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Article published on Tuesday, May 13, 2008
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