Phoenix Club’s Mardi Gras Party, Memphis, TN

Party with a Purpose at The Historic Cadre Building

by Sarah Stramel | March 01, 2010

It may seem strange to be celebrating Mardi Gras weeks into the Lenten Season, but for members of Memphis’s Phoenix Club, the party didn’t end on Ash Wednesday. Last weekend about a thousand young professionals packed into the historic Downtown Cadre Building for the club’s annual fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis.

Don’t think this production by the Phoenix Club was like any other party you’ve been to before in Memphis. Everything was top notch, from the location, to the music, to the casino, and of course, the cocktails.

The decadent evening began with lots of games for those who were feeling lucky. There was a casino inside the Cadre where revelers played blackjack, craps, and roulette. Since gambling is illegal in Tennessee, raffle tickets were given in exchange for cash which were used in an auction later in the evening. The prizes were fabulous: spa visits, hotel stays, dinners at four-star restaurants, and even legal representation in case you got a speeding ticket on the way home!

After everyone gambled and some won the awesome prizes, the night really started to heat up. That’s when Lord T and Eloise, the creators of Aristocrunk, got on stage. The Memphis rap group is the one to call when you really want your party to go to the next level. The ladies and gents in the crowd danced all night, especially when rapper Al Kapone took the stage. He’s a Memphis institution, probably best known for writing the Grammy-winning song "It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp."

Beautiful people, great vibes and even better music made the night a huge hit. The best thing about Phoenix Club’s annual Mardi Gras party: it was a party with a purpose. All of the proceeds went to make sure young girls and boys in Memphis have positive mentors in their lives.