|
Attendees dance the night away during the Calexico Mardi Gras event last year at the Calexico Cultural Arts Center. (FERNANDO ACOSTA JR. FILE PHOTO / January 10, 2013) |
CALEXICO — The seven candidate couples for the 15th annual Mardi Gras king and queen were announced during the Calexico Chamber of Commerce’s meeting Thursday afternoon.
Attendees of the Mardi Gras Beer Tasting Xperience and Business Expo will be able to vote on the candidates and see them crowned during the Feb. 8 event.
The candidates are Robert and Ana Cecilia Rubio, Fernando and Diana Zavala, Ricardo Leyva and Maribel Padilla-Leyva, Bob and A.J. Ham, Frank Moreno and Gabrielle Obeso-Moreno, Victor and Lizeth Legaspi, and Jose Vizcarra and Letty Zuno-Vizcarra.
Luis “Chino” Gonzalez and his wife, Francina De Necochea Gonzalez, were crowned the 2012 Mardi Gras king and queen after being nominated for their community work with the Calexico Desert Valley Bandits he founded.
Members of the chamber come up with the list of candidates, and then the couples are contacted to see if they are interested in participating, Chamber Executive Director Hildy Carrillo said.
Most are nominated for being “local personalities” who are very involved, often run a local business, and give back to the community.
The event will feature the opportunity to try more than 40 kinds of beer being provided by two distributing companies. There will also be hors d’oeuvres, wine, music, dancing and Mardi Gras-themed decorations like masks and beads to enjoy.
“It’s the most fun. People aren’t coming to stand and listen to speeches,” Carrillo said. “They’re coming to have a good time, and usually that’s what happens.
There are 400 tickets available for the typically sold-out event, and tickets go on sale Monday.
Tickets are $25 each and include two tickets to vote for the king and queen as well as three tickets valid for three beers each. Additional tickets for beer or voting will be available for purchase.
Call the Calexico Chamber of Commerce at 760-357-1166 for information on the event, sponsorship, or for tickets.
Staff Writer Chelcey Adami can be reached at 760-337-3452 or cadami@ivpressonline.com
If you go
What Mardi Gras Beer Tasting Xperience and Business Expo
When 6 p.m. Feb. 8
Where Calexico Cultural Arts Center
To comment on this story click here to be directed to Facebook.
