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Pinckneyville Mardi Gras is around the corner

The Pinckneyville Chamber of Commerce is in full swing in planning its 95th-annual Pinckneyville Mardi Gras celebration.

The theme for the celebration, to take place Saturday, Oct. 28, is "Dancin' in the Street. "Everyone who attended the Chamber Annual Dinner placed a vote for the 2017 theme, which was submitted by Ashley Glidewell. The Chamber of Commerce is always on the lookout for go-getters; if you or someone you know is interested in helping out with Mardi Gras, please contact the Chamber office.

Mardi Gras kicks off with a queen pageant Saturday, Oct. 14. The Chamber is now accepting applications to run in the pageant. The online form is located at pinckneyville.com/queens-pageant/. The deadline for applications and the $150 sponsor fee is 11 a.m. Sept. 2.

The contestants will meet at Designs by Precision Laser in Pinckneyville at that time for a meet-and-greet and to have their pictures taken for the Miss Photogenic Contest. The contestants will meet at the Pinckneyville Chamber office Sept. 30 for the famous "Queen Collection on the Square." Proceeds from the collection are put into the Queens Scholarship Fund.

Each contestant is asked to make their own Mardi Gras mask, which will be used in the opening number for the pageant. Contestants are interviewed the afternoon of the pageant, and the score from the interview is worth 50 percent of their overall points. They also are judged on their swimwear, which is worth 25 percent of their scores and the final 25% is based off of their evening gowns. Contestants who attend the meet-and-greet receive 10 bonus points, and contestants that attend the Queen Collection on the square receive 10 bonus points. The 2017 Mardi Gras Queen will receive $1500 payable to their college or university upon fulfilling their one-year reign.

Complete details, rules and regulations can be found on the Chamber website listed above or by emailing chamber.pville@gmail.com. You can also call 618-357-3243.

The Pinckneyville Chamber also hosts a vendor fair on Walnut Street from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Vendor spots are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Outdoor spaces are $30 for a 16-foot spot and $20 for an 8-foot spot. There are also a limited number of electric hook-ups available for an additional $10. There are a very limited amount of indoor spots available for $60. The application is now available on the Chamber website at pinckneyville.com/vendors/.

Mardi Gras 50/50 tickets will go on sale Oct. 1. Tickets are $1 each or six for $5. The winning number will be drawn at the conclusion of the Mardi Gras Parade Oct. 28th. The drawing will begin at $6,838 (with 1/2 going to the winner).