“Though Mardi Gras won’t be celebrated until Feb. 16 in New Orleans, the University of Akron has decided to commemorate the customarily decadent holiday a bit early. This Thursday, RHPB, RHC and EJ Thomas Hall will be sponsoring a Mardi Gras Dance Party at EJ Thomas Hall.”
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Though Mardi Gras won’t be celebrated until Feb. 16 in New Orleans, the University of Akron has decided to commemorate the customarily decadent holiday a bit early.

This Thursday, RHPB, RHC and EJ Thomas Hall will be sponsoring a Mardi Gras Dance Party at EJ Thomas Hall.

This marks the first year the event will be held and hopes are high that it catches on with students.

Beth Lynch, the organizer of the Mardi Gras bash, explained that after the huge success of the university’s annual Halloween party, Boo at the Roo, we thought to ourselves what holiday could we do next and then realized, wouldn’t it be fun to do Mardi Gras?

And fun it most definitely will be. The entire EJ stage will be transformed into a Mardi Gras wonderland, so UA students will have all of the glitz and glamour of the French Quarter directly at their fingertips.

DJ Sparky B, the same DJ who hosts the annual Boo at the Roo extravaganza, will be on hand to set the soundtrack for the evening of revelry.

In addition, to make the celebrations even more authentic, Cajun cuisine, including jambalaya, beans and rice, king cakes and other fare, will be provided.

There will also be a cash bar for students looking to make their Mardi Gras experience as genuine as possible.

While it isn’t mandatory for students to wear costumes and masks, there will be a best mask contest for which the winner will receive a special prize, making the incentive to arrive decked out in full Mardi Gras regalia a bit tempting.

For those not interested in indulging in their wild side, though, free beads and feathers will be given out so that everyone has at least a bit of a Carnival touch to their ensembles.

Last but not least, to make this party even more irresistible than it already sounds, guests can enter to win prizes, including two front row seats to see multiple Grammy-winning artist Norah Jones, who will be coming to EJ March 11, and also tickets to see the popular musical Avenue Q, which starts at EJ on April 6.

The Mardi Gras Dance Party is free for UA students, who must arrive with a valid Zip Card at the door. The door opens at 9:09 p.m. and guests are asked to enter through the Blue Door entrance on Hill Street.

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