THE EVENT
Pittsboro Mardi Gras is a costume Carnival put on by Chatham Marketplace and The Abundance Foundation. Proceeds from this year’s event will benefit three local non-profits: The Abundance Foundation, Child Care Networks, and Triangle Land Conservancy.
The Mardi Gras is an evening of dancing, merriment and revelry and will feature festive refreshments by Chatham Marketplace, musical entertainment by HOBEX, The Atomic Rhythm All-Stars, Northwood High as well as aerial dancers and jugglers, tarot and palm readers, the dancing ladies of W.I.N.G.S and more.
HISTORY
Pittsboro Mardi Gras is an annual Chatham County tradition dating back to the winter of 2008. The Chatham County Glitter Society, a mysterious and fanciful secret society, birthed the event in the tradition of the great Mardi Gras of New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama. Through extravagant rituals of community entertainment and mysticism the Chatham County Glitter Society wields unprecedented power against the forces of boredom, bland commercialism, and sometimes even the laws of physics.
So, each year we transform the big room of the Historic Chatham Mills into a Carnival atmosphere reminiscent of old New Orleans, with wild decorations, delicious food, excellent music and many great surprises. The Mardi Gras is a chance at the end of a long winter to let loose, celebrate and support our great community, and get a little wild with each other.
An event of this magnitude takes many hands to transform the historic mill and Pittsboro non-profit The Abundance Foundation has taken the charge of organizing each year’s Carnival, with help from other great Chatham County non-profits, as well as our community’s own grocery coop/social hub The Chatham Marketplace.
OUR NON PROFIT PARTNERS
In the last three years Pittsboro Mardi Gras has raised thousands of dollars for local non profits. This year we are happy to work with three very important local groups:
THE ABUNDANCE FOUNDATION
www.theabundancefoundation.org
The Abundance Foundation’s purpose is to increase the public awareness of sustainable energy usage and local food consumption. The corporation’s goal is to create programs that can model how human beings can harness, use, and benefit from renewable energy sources as well as support the increase of local, sustainable farms. The Abundance Foundation not only promotes advances in areas like solar, wind, and biodiesel, but also to encourage conservation and alternative energy paradigms.
CHILD CARE NETWORK
www.childcarenetworks.org
In the current economic climate families need more than ever to be able to access safe, nurturing, and affordable childcare. Childcare programs also need support providing that care. Each month Child Care Networks helps the families of 400-500 children pay for childcare through the child care subsidy program which is funded by the Chatham County Department of Social Services and Smart Start. Eighty eight percent of the children for whom CCN provides subsidy funds are in 4 and 5 star programs that receive or have in the past received technical assistance from CCN. Last year 480 children were in classrooms that received quality enhancement support from CCN.
TRIANGLE LAND CONSERVANCY
www.triangleland.org
Triangle Land Conservancy (TLC) is the only conservation organization working across all six counties of the Triangle to protect important open space with a focus on supporting local farms and food, safeguarding clean water, connecting people with nature and protecting wildlife habitat. TLC accomplishes that through voluntary land conservation, collaboration with local government and nonprofits, and educational workshops.
