Presented by Young Tradition Vermont at Vermont Folklife and Hotel Vermont with support from the Vermont Family Network and others. The event will be live and in person for the first time since 2020. More info from [email protected]

Mardi Gras in Burlington, Vermont ON Fat Tuesday, featuring live Cajun and Zydeco music and dancing. Mardi Gras, also called Shrove Tuesday, is French for ‘Fat Tuesday’, reflecting the practice of the last night of partying, dancing and eating food before the ritual fasting on Ash Wednesday. Also known as Carnival, it is celebrated in many countries around the world. Brazil, Venice and New Orleans play host to some of the holiday’s most famous public festivities, drawing thousands of revelers every year. Refreshments and a cash bar will be available.

Yankee Chank and Point Noire Cajun Band will perform danceable sets throughout the evening. Most of the evening will feature waltzes (slow) tunes and a 2-steps (faster tunes).  A dance floor will be available. Sound provided by Oliver Scanlon.

Mardi Gras masks and costumes are encouraged! 

Masking for COVID is optional.

Mardi Gras masks WITH COVID masking is ideal!

This event benefits the Tom Sustic Fund, established to support a bone marrow transplant, generated through a series of benefit events featuring a wide variety of performers including Beausoleil and the Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band from Louisiana. 

Any donations will be entered in a raffle for 2 $65 tickets to the annual Ice Bar at Hotel Vermont on March 3rd or March 4th https://hotelvt.com/ice-bar-2023/. The raffle drawing will be done at the end of the evening on 2/21/23. 

After several bone marrow drives and monitoring and searching on registries in North America and Europe, an ideal donor was not located. After Tom’s death, the funds were repurposed as on-going support for families with children with life-altering conditions at the Vermont Children’s Hospital and Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. The Fund is managed and distributed by the Vermont Family Network. Guests will speak during the event about the use of and importance of the Fund.