Woonsocket Radio News Room

Northern RI Council of the Arts

PO Box 1723 Woonsocket, RI 02895

 

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT 

 

2019 MARDI GRAS QUEEN CONTEST

LOOKING FOR CONTESTANTS!

 

The Northern RI Council of the Arts has begun its search for contestants to participate in the 2019 Mardi Gras Queen Contest with some exciting changes in store. Any female, 18 years of age or older or will be 18 by February 1, 2019 is eligible to participate. This is not a beauty pageant. The contestant who sells the most raffle, Coronation and Mardi Gras Celebration tickets attains the Queen’s crown. The 2nd and third high sellers receive the title of Princess. Monetary prizes of $500, $250, $100 for the top 3 winners, plus 10% of all raffle ticket sales and gifts from local businesses will be awarded to all participants. 

 

The Queen’s Coronation, where Queen and Princesses are announced, will take place on Friday, February 15th, 2019 at Savini’s Pomodoro Restaurant in Woonsocket from 6 to 8 pm with complimentary hors d’oeuvres, dessert and coffee. Tickets for the event are only $10. In addition to the Coronation, King Jace XXV will be unmasked during the evening’s celebration.

 

The King, Queen, and their court will preside over the Mardi Gras Ball on Saturday evening, February 23rd, 2019 at the St. Ann Arts and Cultural Center in Woonsocket. Contestants are advised to enter the contest by Saturday, November 17, 2018 to allow time to sell tickets before the events but will not be turned away if they join after this date. 

 

The original Mardi Gras celebration originated in 1954 when a four day event drew crowds up to 150,000 people at the height of its popularity and ended in 1961, after interest had waned over the years. In 1995, NRICA renewed the celebration and continues today. Proceeds from the ticket sales help to offset the cost of the annual Mardi Gras celebration. Contact Nicole Riendeau, at 401-644-7606 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information on becoming a contestant.

 

Severe weather is causing issues for those traveling for the holidays. So far nearly 14-hundred flights have been delayed and just over 300 have been canceled according to Flight Aware. Boston Logan and New York LaGuardia are two of the hardest hit airports.        Today's the deadline for the Trump administration to release the Epstein files. U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Justice Department will release "several hundred thousand" of documents today. The Epstein Files Transparency Act was passed by Congress last month to make public the records of the late sex criminal who allegedly trafficked underage girls.        Officials say the Brown University shooting suspect also killed an MIT professor. Claudio Neves Valente was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound Thursday in a New Hampshire storage unit. U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said at a news conference authorities had probable cause to charge the Portuguese national in the deaths of the two students at Brown and the MIT professor.        President Trump is set to make an announcement regarding drug prices later today. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president "will be announcing more incredible deals that will lower prices of drugs and pharmaceuticals." Drug costs have been a focal point for Trump since he returned to office.        A health expert is pointing out the dangers of frostbite as we enter the coldest time of the year. Frostbite is typically when the tips of your fingers and your toes freeze and can also cause a numbing sensation. Doctor Carole Parsons at the Cleveland Clinic says wearing warm clothes outside will help prevent it but they also need to be changed if they get wet.        NASCAR driver Greg Biffle has died in a plane crash at a North Carolina airport. The North Carolina State Highway Patrol says Biffle was among the seven people killed when his private jet burst into flames when landing at Statesville Regional Airport, around 50 miles north of Charlotte. Biffle's family was also among the seven killed.       

Old News Archives