SOUTHSIDE MASQUERADE

Mardi Gras theme brings in the green for SoMa projects

The Rogers House provided a beautiful backdrop for the SoMa Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball on Feb. 25. The large home in the Governor's Mansion District is owned by downtown real estate investors Jill Judy and Mark Brown and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Traditional Mardi Gras decorations of purple, green and gold -- including feathers, masks and beads -- bedecked the historic house. Music and dancing were in the basement. The main floor held an hors d'oeuvres buffet and bar, with food and drink donated by Community Bakery, Stone's Throw Brewery, South on Main, Raduno and Boulevard Bread. Guests in their Mardi Gras masks and beads could have their photos taken upstairs.

Doug Melkovitz and Lee Fleming were selected as the ball's royalty and will lead next year's festivities. The ball was a fundraiser for Southside Main Street Project, also known as SoMa.

"The organization is an affiliate of Main Street Arkansas and supports economic development and small business support for South Main from 12th Street to Roosevelt [Road]," said board member Hillis Schild.

This is the second Mardi Gras Ball by the nonprofit. "Last year we used some of the funding to provide holiday lighting," Schild said. "This year we will provide funds raised to support an ambassador program on South Main."

High Profile on 03/05/2017

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