There was a distinct New Orleans atmosphere in downtown New Iberia Saturday night as the Bayou Mardi Gras Association launched a unique fundraiser to raise money for its annual Mardi Gras parade. 

“Bourbon Street on the Bayou” took place Saturday evening at the Steamboat Warehouse Pavilion, where the open space area was converted into a jazzy dinner space complete with music, food and plenty of entertainment for those who turned out to support the organization’s mission to provide a Mardi Gras parade to New Iberia. 

The fundraiser was created to assist the association in securing new, highly sought-after entertainers to participate. In addition to bringing in big names, the goal of the fundraiser is to raise money in order to offset costs and reduce the price of floats, allowing more groups to participate.

“The night went really well,” Bayou Teche Mardi Gras Association member Mike Wattigny said Sunday. “We got a lot of positive feedback and everyone had a really good time.”

Wattigny said the funds garnered from the event, which hadn’t been counted yet, would go to further building New Iberia’s Mardi Gras parade and showcasing the downtown area. 

“We want to make it bigger and better,” he said.

Bayou Teche Mardi Gras Association member Beau Beaullieu started the night with a toast to the various sponsors for the event, including primary sponsors Musson Patout and Ford Arceneaux, along with Iberia On Tap, Bi-Lo and Fremin’s Food and Furniture. 

Emcee for the evening Armond Schwing said tips were available throughout the night for songs, as pianist duo Jim Lockwood and John Austin took requests by placing a minimum $5 bid. 

“More importantly, sing along,” Schwing told the crowd at the event. “This is a fun event.”

There were also celebrity waiters at the event, including New Iberia Mayor Freddie DeCourt, local artist Paul Schexnayder and Iberia Industrial Foundation Director Mike Tarantino. 

At the end of the night, the association also announced Speaker of the House for the Louisiana House of Representatives Taylor Barras, R-New Iberia, as the next grand marshal for next year’s Mardi Gras parade.