Friday Night Before Mardi Gras

A b o u t FNBMG

FNBMG was established in 2000 and is chartered as a 501(c)(3) organization under

U.S. Federal rules as a domestic non-profit organization within the State of Louisiana.

FNBMG is devoted to raising monies for HIV & AIDS related charities.
All donations are tax deductible.

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Board of Directors

P r e s i d e n t	Billy Henry
V i c e P r e s i d e n t	Edwin Potratz Chapman
T r e a s u r e r	Christian Rountree
S e c r e t a r y	Marshall Fisher
F i n a n c i a l A d v i s or	Ron Issler
L e g a l A d v i s o r	Glenn Reames
B o a r d M e m b e r	Larry Anderson
B o a r d M e m b e r	Larry Gumpert
B o a r d M e m b e r	Craig Henry
B o a r d M e m b e r	Petunia Hydro
B o a r d M e m b e r	Judy Kossover
B o a r d M e m b e r	Mel Kossover
B o a r d M e m b e r	Michael Lawrence
B o a r d M e m b e r	Tony Leggio
B o a r d M e m b e r	Stace McDonald
B o a r d M e m b e r	Guy Poche
B o a r d M e m b e r	Sam Stewart
A s s o c i a t e M e m b e r	Louis Wagenhauser
E m e r i t u s M e m b e r	Ivan Sherman
H o n o r a r y M e m b e r

H i s t o r y

A SHORT HISTORY OF FRIDAY NIGHT BEFORE MARDI GRAS

"Vendredi de Nuit Mardi Gras Avant"
Friday Night Before Mardi Gras (FNBMG) came to life 27 years ago, during Mardi Gras 1985, when Dr. David Wood and Dr. Ivan Sherman invited friends into their home on the Friday night just before Mardi Gras. Their festive guests arrived in wigs and the tradition was born!

The party grew and became known as the “Friday Night Before Mardi Gras Bash”. Ivan and David never sent invitations and welcomed all who appeared at their door. By 1999, the attendance had grown to 350 wild and frequently outlandishly costumed partygoers.

Ivan agreed when Billy Henry and Ed Potratz suggested making the next FNBMG bash a fund-raiser for HIV and AIDS charities and a committee consisting of Larry Anderson, Peter Braswell, John Chatterton, Craig Henry, Henry LaRoche, Glenn Reames, Amy Reimer and Carl Ricketts agreed to help spearhead the event. FNBMG was briefly renamed “Vendredi de Nuit Mardi Gras Avant”, but the French was too difficult to read, spell, pronounce or remember. But, it does remain FNBMG’s official name.

Not until two weeks before the first party did any real interest surface and Extravaganza I at The Carrollton was a success! Extravaganzas II, III, IV, V and VI continued at The Carrollton and community support and attendance steadily grew.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina’s aftermath flooded The Carrollton leaving FNBMG with no place to party. Nevertheless, in 2006, Extravaganza VII shined at Sean Cumming’s grand Esplanade Avenue Mansion. Extravaganza VIII carried the tradition to the Elms Mansion and Extravaganza IX took a little bumpy and notorious detour to The Venusian Garden. FNBMG then decided it was high time to take the party to Uptown New Orleans and since 2009 has hosted the following Extravaganzas at the Audubon Tea Room:

Extravaganza X – Divas at the Tea Room
Extravaganza XI – Cirque du Sogay at the Tea Room
Extravaganza XII – Mardi Gras Gaga at the Tea Room

Please plan to join FNBMG on February 17, 2012 at the Audubon Tea Room for Extravaganza XIII – The Immortals Ball at the Tea Room

FNBMG is incorporated in the State of Louisiana and is officially recognized as a 501(c) (3) charity. FNBMG has donated almost $150,000 to the following charities: AIDSLAW of Louisiana, Belle Reve, Buzzy’s Boys & Girls, Forum for Equality Foundation, NO/AIDS Task Force, PFLAG, Project Lazarus, the New Orleans LGBT Community Center, the New Orleans AIDS Monument and United Services for AIDS.

FNBMG THANKS ALL OF ITS LOYAL SUPPORTERS FOR MAKING THIS HISTORY POSSIBLE!