(Media releases from Chieftains Museum/Major Ridge Home):
Chieftains Museum/Major Ridge Home will host an evening of food and fun at the annual Mardi Gras Spectacular event scheduled for Saturday, February 18th at the Coosa Country Club located at 110 Branham Ave in Rome. The event is generously sponsored by Louisiana Hot Sauce.
Doors open for the event at 6:30pm, which features a Louisiana influenced dinner buffet provided by the Coosa Country Club served at 7:0pm. Scott Thompson & The Clocktower of Power Band will provide musical entertainment during dinner.
Attendees will be able to purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win a cash prize of $1,000. Chances are 1 in 200, and the winner will be drawn at the Mardi Gras Spectacular. Tickets can also be purchased in advance of the event, and you do not have to present to win. Attendees will also have the opportunity to support various preservation projects happening at Chieftains. Donors can fund various projects at the museum, making it possible for museum staff and board members to continue the mission of preserving and interpreting the history of the 19th century Cherokee through the life, home, and property of the Ridge family.
Dress for the event is festive cocktail. A prize will be awarded for the best Mardi Gras mask. The winner will be voted on by attendees.
Tickets for the Mardi Gras Spectacular are $100 for individuals, and there are only 200 tickets available for the event. Portions of each event ticket sale are tax-deductible. The Mardi Gras Spectacular is sponsored by the Friends of Chieftains Museum with all proceeds benefiting the museum.
To purchase tickets or for more information, contact the museum at (706) 291-9494 or visit their website at www.chieftainsmuseum.org. Credit and debit cards will be accepted in addition to checks and cash.
And in other news from Chieftains…
Chieftains Museum/Major Ridge Home is pleased to host the 10th Annual Floyd County Seed Swap on the museum campus from 1pm-3pm on Sunday, February 26th .
The Seed Swap is an informal event co-sponsored by the museum along with the Berry College Department of Environmental Science and Studies and Floyd County Master Gardener Extension Volunteers. The purpose of the Seed Swap is to encourage the production and protection of heirloom seeds and plant varieties that are at risk of being lost in order to provide a sustainable and diverse landscape in our community. Seed saving was particularly important to Cherokees like Major Ridge in order to sustain his family through the winter months and provide crops for the spring and summer.
This year’s program will be outdoors in the Major Ridge Demonstration Garden on the Chieftains Museum campus. In case of weather, the event will be held indoors at the Chieftains Museum. Participants are encouraged to bring their own open-pollinated/heirloom seeds, plant cuttings, seedling, saplings or other gardening-related items like implements, seed packets, or scionwood to share/trade with other guests. Dr. Brian Campbell, Chair of the Berry College Department of Environmental Science and Studies, will provide a presentation on the basics of seed-saving and agricultural biodiversity conservation at 1pm and the seed swapping will take place from 2-3pm. Dr. Campbell, Berry College students, and Master Gardeners will be on-hand to answer questions and discuss seed saving for those who attend. Chieftains Museum will be open for a Family Free Day in conjunction with the Seed Swap. Visitors can tour the museum and create take-home craft projects during the event.
The Annual Floyd County Seed Swap is a free event open to the public.
