Mardi Gras court ready for annual celebration
Annual event takes place Feb. 3 at St. Ann Arts and Cultural Center
WOONSOCKET – After working to raise money for the Northern Rhode Island Council of the Arts’ scholarship fund, Joyce LaPerle was in a line-up Friday night at Savini’s Pomodoro Restaurant with four other contenders for this year’s Mardi Gras Queen crown.
As the contestants, Kim Blais, Ellen Cloutier, Amanda Girard, LaPerle, and Tammy Irwin, waited, Master of Ceremonies Romeo Berthiaume called Irwin, a princess for last year’s Mardi Gras and an owner of Timeless Antiques and Collectibles on Main Street, as this year’s second Princess for the Queen’s Court.
Next was Kimberly Blais, the executive assistant to the Superintendent for the
Continued from page A1 Woonsocket Education Department, as First Princess, and that left one more crown to award, that of the queen.
LaPerle was announced as Queen of Mardi Gras for 2018 and was soon holding her flowers and having the Queen’s crown eased into place. As her first official duty, LaPerle in turn unmasked Bob Billington as King Jace XXIV, who will reign with her and her court until the Autumnfest Parade next October.
“Oh it feels wonderful,” LaPerle, a recreation director for the Oakland Grove Healthcare Center, said after her coronation had been completed. “I have to thank everyone at Oakland Grove, all my friends and my relatives,” LaPerle said.
LaPerle was no novice in running a campaign for queen and had served as Mardi Gras Queen in 2005 after another successful fundraising effort for the Northern Council of the Arts and its programs. The queen contest allows previous holders of the crown to complete again after a period of five years has passed.
LaPerle thanked all her supporters for this year’s Mardi Gras honor but also noted this was her last campaign.
“I’m going to give someone else a chance after this,” she said. Of course she will be at the big Mardi Gras bash next Saturday evening at the St. Ann Arts and Cultural Center, she said, and plans to plans to have fun during a night of dinner and dancing.
“I’m happy to go. I’ve worked hard for this and now it is time to party,” she said.
Billington, who was guided through his mysterious role as the costumed King Jace by Dave Richards of WOON Radio in recent weeks, is also looking forward to Mardi Gras now that his beard and long-haired wig have been removed.
“Oh it’s been fun,” Billington said as the many layers of the costume started to come off. Richards, of course, had expertly guided him through the role of King Jace, which was a help, and there was also the sense of contributing something to the Northern Rhode Island Council of the Arts, he said.
“I always liked the work that the late Jack Lawhead (a longtime Council of the Arts member) did for the city, and I’ve tried to follow his lead in what we do,” he said.
The Council of the Arts, with its scholarship program, and special events through the year, continues make an important contribution to the area that deserves support, Billington said. “And it is a fun thing to do, because they have a such a good group of people and it’s the same people working hard all the time,” he said.
Billington said he and his wife, Debra, go to Mardi Gras every year and this year will just have some King Jace duties to complete before once again enjoying, a dinner, the good music and dancing.
Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt, who attended the Queen’s Coronation with her husband, Ed, a past King Jace himself, also had praise for the Northern R.I. Council of the Arts and its contributions to the city.
“I think this is a great organization and it is very worthy of the wonderful support it has received overall,” she said. Everyone also seemed to be having a great time at Savini’s for the coronation ceremonies which have been growing in attendance in recent years.
“And I hope everyone will be going to Mardi Gras as well because we are all supporting the Arts and that is what the Northern Rhode Island Council of the Arts does all through the year,” she said.
Although she didn’t win the queen’s crown, Kimberly Blais said she still had fun running her fundraising campaign and getting all the support from her family, friends and co-workers at the school department.
“It was the first time I’ve done this and I feel great about it. It was fabulous,” Blais said. What she was most happy about, she said, is that she raised money that would go to student scholarships. “The fact it is for a scholarship is the most important thing. It is all about the kids,” she said.
Irwin, who operates Timeless Antiques with her husband, Frank, also point- ed to the competition as a great way to give back. “I was very happy to help and I plan to join the Council of the Arts,” she said. “I love Woonsocket, I love the Arts and I love being involved,” Irwin said.
This year, Mardi Gras is featuring Jeff Gamache and Runaway Train as the first performing band on stage at the St. Ann Arts and Cultural Center Saturday night, to be followed by The Squeezebox Stompers. The evening, beginning at 5:30 and continuing until 11:30 p.m., includes a buffet dinner and also a costume contest. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. For more information contact Council of the Arts member Lorraine Cloutier at 401-762-9072.