Fiesta Tropicale of Hollywood, Inc.
P.O. Box 510, Hollywood, Florida 33022-0510
954-926-3377, Fax: 954-926-3371
E-mail: David@MardiGrasFiesta.com
Board of Directors
- John Stengel, President
equity1@bellsouth.net
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Dave Hogg, Vice President
DavHo@aol.com
- Dale Seidman, Treasurer
- David Erickson, Secretary
E-mail: David@MardiGrasFiesta.com
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Debra Case, Director
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Kathy DiBona, Director
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Steve Farbman, Director
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Donna Flegg, Director
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Randy Fontenot, Director
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Audrey Joynt, Director
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Dorothy Klein, Director
- Scott Roberts, Director
- Andy Rogow, Director
- Linda Strutz, Director
- Tai Vaz, Director
- EasyTech, Webmaster
Background
Fiesta Tropicale of Hollywood, Inc. is a 501 C (3) non-profit organization founded in September 1997 for the purpose of providing cultural arts programs, events and education to youth and adults.
Programs are centered around a historic community celebration which happened in the City of Hollywood from 1937 to 1966.
Fiesta Tropicale emerged from an event which began in 1935 entitled Fiesta of the Nations—a night at Hollywood Central School celebrating the different cultures of the world. The event featured children dressed in costume performing dance and music representing a variety of countries.
In 1936 Fiesta of the Nations was expanded and renamed Fiesta Tropicale with an intent to bring the entire community together for a cultural celebration.
Shortly thereafter, organizers began to mirror New Orleans festivities and added a parade, downtown activities, and world renowned entertainers. Fiesta Tropicale was promoted throughout the country and grew to enormous proportions. Newspaper accounts report attendance from 10,000 in the late ‘30s to 100,000 in the late ‘60s.
In 1997, after a 32-year absence, the City of Hollywood agreed to support the revival of Fiesta Tropicale through funding and participation.
Today, Fiesta Tropicale of Hollywood’s year-long programs and events focus on the art, culture and heritage of New Orleans, Louisiana and Mardi Gras.
Organizational Purpose & Goals
As the organizing entity of Mardi Gras Fiesta Tropicale, Fiesta Tropicale of Hollywood, Inc.’s purpose is to unite and improve the community and enhances its cultural life through various cultural and educational programs, scholarships and charity fund-raisers. This includes:
Music Education, Heritage Workshops
& Scholarship Program
Before they take to the stage, some Mardi Gras Fiesta Tropicale performers will be taking their talents into the classroom. Again this year, Mardi Gras Fiesta Tropicale is offering free Music Heritage Workshops to local schools in an effort to enhance students’ arts education. The program exposes young people to various music styles, including jazz, R&B, brass, Cajun, zydeco, and Dixieland. Performances are approximately 45 minutes in length and are offered at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Workshops include a brief history of a style and genre of music, an entertaining live musical performance, and literature about the subject matter and artist histories. Music themes for 2001 included Louis Armstrong, Brass Bands, zydeco and Dixieland.Interested schools can call Judy Erickson at 954-922-9959 for more information on the Music Heritage Program, which will be conducted just prior to the February 21 opening of the 6th Annual Mardi Gras Fiesta Tropicale.
BRACE Scholarships
Five 2001 graduates of Hollywood High Schools were awarded $1,000 BRACE (Broward Advisors for Continuing Education) Scholarships through the Golf Hollywood! Fiesta Tropicale Scholarship Program. The funds, which are raised from a gala hosted by Golf Hollywood! that kicks off the Mardi Gras season, are specifically earmarked for deserving students attending Hollywood high schools who have exhausted all other post-secondary education funding.
Giving Back To The Community
Each year, Fiesta Tropicale returns a portion of the proceeds to area organizations and charities. Mardi Gras Fiesta Tropicale also offers festival sales areas and free booth space to local organizations participating as krewes to help them raise funds. In the past, the Krewe of Bacchus received proceeds from festival wine sales to benefit area schools including Oakridge Elementary, the Krewe of Dania Beach Red Hots received proceeds from the Arti Gras for Kids Quarter to benefit local schools, and the Krewe of Solomon, a.k.a. Masons, received proceeds from beer concessions to benefit their organizational programs. |
