It is an event that is met with growing anticipation each year. And why not? After all, it is the biggest gala event of the year in Talladega.

Even if you don’t have a ticket to the Mardi Gras ball, the community is just as involved. A Mardi Gras parade makes its way through the streets of Talladega each year, bringing a growing crowd to the festivities.

That night, at the gala itself, hundreds of people enjoy the evening’s events, including a dinner, dance and an auction of art.

It is a fundraiser for Antique Talladega and the Ritz Theatre, a place that has meant a rebirth of cultural and performing arts for the city and the region it serves.

But more than that, it is an event that enhances the quality of life found within Talladega’s borders. Saturday’s Mardi Gras was just such an event, and we thank all involved for another job well done.