We will be celebrating Fat Tuesday in the Fillmore with great blues, a second line processional, creative costumes, good food and colorful beads! The Village Project will host the 18th annual Mardi Gras, San Francisco Style on Tuesday, March 4th. This year’s celebration again opens with a free community blues concert, featuring The Curtis Family (The C-Notes) and The David Hardiman Second Line Band.

The New Orleans style festival will bring San Francisco's historic Fillmore Music District to life with the blues, a colorful family friendly carnival atmosphere, and a second line parade. There will be face painting, street artists and performers. The free blues concert starts at 6 pm at the Fillmore Plaza at the corner of Fillmore & O’Farrell Streets. The David Hardiman Band will lead the second line New Orleans style parade down the Fillmore Corridor, starting at the Fillmore Minnie Park on Fillmore at Golden Gate Avenue at 5 pm. This year's Masquerade Ball starts at 7:00 pm @ The African American Arts & Culture Complex @ 762 Fulton.

“We are expecting visitors from the Fillmore District and beyond," said Adrian Williams, Executive Director of The Village Project and producer of the event. "Not only does our annual Mardi Gras celebration include what people look for in the traditional New Orleans celebrations, it continues to embrace the history of this neighborhood -- where music has been intertwined into the fabric of everyday life for more than 100 years. With the help of San Francisco Travel and Soul Travel of America, we expect to attract a number of tourists to The Fillmore, one of the most historical neighborhoods in San Francisco, for an evening filled with fun and community collectiveness!