Ki kote fèt la ye? (That is Creole for "Where’s the party?")

Anyone in Newtown looking for an authentic, Creole-flavored Mardi Gras party without having to travel further than Fairfield Hills should grab their tickets now to be part of the local Chamber of Commerce premier event: “The French Quarter: A Mardi Gras Celebration,” being planned for Thursday, February 20, at Newtown Community Center.

Organizers are getting enthusiastic feedback from businesses partnering as sponsors and vendors, as well as chamber members and others looking to don decorative masks or dress in their coolest Mardi Gras fashions.

“This will be the Chamber’s first major event at the new community center, and we’ve got room for several hundred to attend,” said co-organizer and Chamber Vice President Judith Miller. “We’re hoping this will be such a popular event right off the bat, that we’ll make it an annual chamber activity along with our golf tournament and Martini Madness.”

The Mardi Gras celebration will run from 6 to 9 pm that evening, and tickets are $40. There is also a $15 Designated Driver ticket option.

Ms Miller is also inviting anyone interested in making an authentic Mardi Gras mask for the occasion to a workshop she is planning on February 5, from 5 to 7 pm, at Reverie Brewing Company, 57B Church Hill Road.

“For the cost of materials — $20 — anyone who wants to design and create their very own Mardi Gras mask can do so that evening,” Ms Miller said. “The event itself will feature a competition and prize for the best mask.”

Newtown’s Lucas Local will provide heavy Louisiana inspired appetizers for the Mardi Gras, and Ms Miller’s daughter and pastry chef Samantha with S.S. Sweets will provide assortment of French delicacies and cream puffs infused with Litchfield Distillery Maple Bourbon.

In addition, Litchfield Distillery will be represented providing two batched drinks: a vodka drink and a bourbon drink, along with a spirits tasting table. Woodbury Brewing has signed up to pour their own Woodbury Brewing Company BA Don’t Go Romanov — a Russian Imperial Stout.

“The rich, malty British barley carries a big, dark, roast coffee and chocolaty stout, and it is aged in Litchfield Distillery bourbon barrels adding a sweet wood finish,” she said. “Woodbury Brewing will also offer their Champils, a Pilsner brewed with hand pressed chardonnay grape mush and Tardif de Bourgogne hops. They say it is light, dry, and sparkling, with a pleasant aroma and flavor of white wine.”

Chamber member Nick’s Chilled and Distilled will be providing additional wine selections.

“We’ll have continuous party music, including a good sampling of Cajun and Mardi Gras music from our emcee and DJ, 'Dr John' Voket of 99 Dollar DJ & Entertainment Service,” Ms Miller continued. “And local artist Robert Kaiser will be exhibiting his big heads — massive puppet heads that he has also displayed at several Newtown Arts Festivals and during local Halloween events.”

All the rest of the event’s design and décor will be provided by Peak Event Services. Additional sponsors include Townsquare Media; Manzi Insurance (sponsoring the dessert table); Bryan Roth with Edward Jones (sponsoring the registration table); and C.H. Booth Library, which will be sponsoring Mardi Gras history and reference materials being used to make the event as authentic as possible.

In addition, Ms Miller said the local SERVPRO of Newtown & Southern Litchfield County will sponsor the clean-up. Julie Friend with eFriend Marketing is handling branding and coordination of the event along with Ms Miller.

For more information and to reserve tickets, visit the chamber’s website, newtown-ct.com.

Reservations are required for the February 5 Mardi Gras Mask Workshop, and can be done by calling 203-426-2695, sending e-mail to chamber@newtown-ct.com, or visiting the Chamber website (above).