The Black Student Union will bring a piece of New Orleans back this Saturday night at the group’s annual BSU Heritage Ball.
The BSU will hold its annual event, dubbed “A Taste of New Orleans” at Mac’s at the Vet’s Club Saturday night.
This year’s theme was chosen to reflect the cultural importance of New Orleans and the South, BSU co-director Felecia Wheatfall said.
“Especially in light of Hurricane Katrina and the loss of the history and culture of the city of New Orleans, I think celebrating it and doing a theme … will show how much of an impact it’s made on black culture,” said Abrina Wheatfall, assistant programs coordinator.
Each table will be named after a street in New Orleans and the decorations will have a Mardi Gras theme in honor of New Orleans’ biggest party, Abrina Wheatfall said.
“The Veterans’ Memorial Club in and of itself looks like a colonial house,” Abrina Wheatfall said. “That helps out a lot. We’re going to try and portray it as an outside theme: balconies, a lot of ivy and trees.”
DJ Juggernaut from the Portland radio station Jammin’ 95.5 is the night’s musical entertainment.
According to his profile on Myspace.com, DJ Juggernaut plays a mix of hip-hop, R&B, funk and old-school music.
A professional photographer will also be at the event, and pictures will cost $10. The BSU has pre-paid for the first 50 photos.
Although the event is free, the BSU will accept donations to help cover the cost of the evening, which is more than $1,000, Abrina Wheatfall said.
The BSU has posters from previous Heritage Balls in its office dating back to 2001, Felecia Wheatfall said, but the event has been going on longer than that.
“Back in the day, it used to be like prom,” Felecia Wheatfall said.
“People would come up in limos, but that’s just word-of-mouth passed on generation to generation. I have no idea when the first year was.”
The BSU expects about 150 people to attend the free semi-formal event, which begins at 10 p.m. and ends at about 1:30 a.m. “It is a semi-formal event, something that shies people away, but we want it to be classy and respectful to our heritage,” Felecia Wheatfall said. The event is not solely for those who have dates, she said.
“Too many of us are single to be doing that,” Felecia Wheatfall said.
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