Trumpets will blare and colors will blaze as Fat Tuesday comes parading our way on (Tuesday) February 9th. The Irish Pub in downtown Lewisburg will host a celebration with New Orleans food, free professional face painting by Mickayla Pence, and lots of giveaways. They also encourage you to wear a costume for a free gift!
Mardi Gras, which is also known as Fat Tuesday, refers to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany (Three King’s Day) and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday. This is a celebration period before the fasting season of Lent. In the late 1830’s New Orleans held street processions of maskers with carriages and horseback riders to celebrate Mardi Gras. In 1875, the Louisiana Governor Warmoth made Fat Tuesday into a legal holiday and it still is. Today, people celebrate with masks, costumes, sports competitions, parades, and some debauchery.
The menu will consist of delicious and traditional comfort foods from the Crescent City and gumbo is one of them! This special stew is typically served over rice and has come to be one the best examples of the multicultural melting pot that has made New Orleans what it is. There is no set recipe for gumbo because everyone has their own way. The Irish Pub’s Gumbo is made with chicken and sausage. Make sure you have a cup or two with the Red Beans and Rice. This New Orleans favorite will leave you wishing it was Fat Tuesday everyday. Last but not least on this special menu are the King Cakes, a sweet that is loved by New Orleanians and dates back to the Middle ages. These are Danish pastries that are always iced in the Mardi Gras colors of purple (justice), gold (faith), and green (faith).
“I am so excited to be a part of the Mardi Gras celebration. Come see me for a free mini face painting session at The Irish Pub on Tuesday, February 9th from 6pm-10pm! I look forward to giving Lewisburg a taste of my expertise and creating beautiful faces while enjoying a pint!”- Mickayla Pence
A native West Virginian at heart, Mickayla Pence is now a New York City based Makeup Artist and Body Painter. She has humbly worked with celebrities such as: Ashanti, Michelle Pfeiffer, Kiefer Sutherland, Gillian Jacobs, Keegan Michael Key, Abby Lee Miller, Mackenzie Ziegler, Method Man, Ron Pope, and Nev Schulman. Her makeup kit is stocked with professionally formulated cosmetics to achieve the highest caliber of artistry. Perfect for Mardi Gras! She will be painting faces from 6-10pm.
Don’t miss out on this fun event! The Irish Pub is located at 109 E. Washington Street. For more information, visit irishpubonwashingtonstreet.com or call them at 304-645-7386.
– LBSPY, February 2016
HASHTAGWV ART & ENTERTAINMENT Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, Christina Entenmann-Edwards has been a WV resident since September 2008. She was born and raised in Fairfield County, Connecticut, and is no stranger to hard work and the entrepreneurial spirit. In 2006, she graduated from Quinnipiac University (Hamden, Connecticut), Cum Laude, with a B.A. in History. In 2010, she graduated with an M.B.A. from Liberty University (Lynchburg, Virginia). In February 2012, Christina launched HashtagWV as the area’s first full-color, free arts and entertainment tabloid + online platform. Christina completed the Leadership West Virginia class of 2021, which is an innovative program that grows, engages, and mobilizes leaders to ignite a life passion to move West Virginia forward.