Third Annual Mardi Growl Gala to Benefit Alexandria’s Homeless Animals

The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria is again hosting the Mardi Growl Gala, the organization’s largest fundraising event of the year.

This year’s gala has been dubbed MG3 and takes place on Friday, March 8, at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria. Tickets to MG3 can be purchased online at www.AlexandriaAnimals.org/MardiGrowl.

Tickets are on sale at $85 for an individual and $150 for a couple, with all proceeds benefitting Alexandria’s homeless animals.

The two previous galas were sold-out events, and the AWLA is planning for the largest Mardi Growl ever. Mardi Growl is a New Orleans-style celebration with beads, boas, masks and costumes. Guests will enjoy signature “Howlicane” beverages at the open bar and dance to live jazz music.

Caricature artists and stilt walkers will be present, and the event is fully catered by Bittersweet Café and Catering, located in Old Town Alexandria. All guests will be able to bid on a variety of Alexandria- and Washington-centric items at the silent auction, and raffle prize winners will be selected throughout the evening.

“This year’s gala features a lot of new, exciting, and entertaining additions, hence the MG3 moniker,” said Joy Wilson, the League’s acting executive director, in a news release. “But we’re also bringing back many of the Mardi Growl favorites, like the “Howlicanes” and the silent auction.”

Serving as master of ceremonies at MG3 is Alison Starling, Emmy Award-winning news anchor from ABC7/WJLA-TV. Starling, a resident of Northern Virginia, works with a number of charitable organizations in the Washington metro area and is sure to add to an already lively event. The league will also honor Kerry and Eva Donley as the King and Queen of the Krewe of Barkus. The Donleys have been ardent supporters of the league for numerous years.

Each year, the Mardi Growl Gala raises critical funds that enable the AWLA to care for thousands of animals. The league relies on the donations for two-thirds of its operating budget.

The AWLA is an independent, local, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and recognized by Charity Navigator as a Four Star Charity. Operating the Vola Lawson Animal Shelter, an open-admission facility and Alexandria’s only animal shelter, the league provides care for thousands of animals every year, including strays, lost pets, local wildlife, rescue animals and pets surrendered by their owners.