It’s Showtime! Grace Cathedral Is Rolling Out the Red Carpet for In-Person Guests at Annual Carnivale Gala on March 1

The 1920s Old Hollywood Themed Fundraiser to Celebrate Mardi Gras Both In-Person and Virtually

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral will be back live for its annual fundraising gala, Carnivale, on March 1, after going virtual last year due to the Coronavirus pandemic. This year, the much-anticipated celebration is back in-person at the cathedral, with the added option of joining online from home. A nod to Grace Cathedral’s historic groundbreaking nearly 100 years ago, the event’s 1920s Mardi Gras theme celebrates all the cathedral’s groundbreaking accomplishments since.

“Grace Cathedral’s historic groundbreaking in 1927 marked the beginning of creating a house of prayer for all people,” said the Rt. Rev. Dr. Marc Handley Andrus. “The cathedral has declared 2022 as the Year of Connection. We welcome everyone to join us at Carnivale, connect with old friends and new, and help maximize our social impact through purposeful philanthropy.”

The gala will be co-hosted by Emmy Award winning radio and TV personality, Liam Mayclem and Bay Area Broadcast Reporter, Betty Yu, and will feature a red carpet, special entertainment, the dazzling Danse Libre dancers and an auction, all of which can be enjoyed by both in person and virtual attendees.

“We are thrilled to be bringing back our long-awaited annual gala this year. It’s a great opportunity to connect our global and local communities with the mission of the cathedral and joyfully celebrate a time of innovation and social progress,” said the Very Rev. Malcolm Clemens Young, ThD, Dean of Grace Cathedral. “And despite Omicron, we believe that our thoughtful planning and unique space allows us to prioritize everyone’s safety while celebrating Carnivale together.”

As Coronavirus remains a top concern, the event will take extensive safety measures to prioritize the health of all guests, staff and vendors in attendance. The expansive cathedral will use its 1.5 million cubic feet of space to its advantage, maximizing airflow and ventilation throughout the evening. Cocktail hour will be hosted facing the open cathedral doors, overlooking the Great Steps, and the dinner floor plan will be reimagined with wider aisles and fewer tables. In-person attendees, capped at 300, are required to provide proof of vaccination and booster (no later than February 21) and a negative Covid test within 24 hours of the event.

Tickets and sponsorship for Carnivale begin at $25, with additional opportunities for sponsorship. Funds raised will provide vital support for Grace Cathedral and its many innovative ministries and programs across worship, education, social justice, and the arts. To learn more, visit www.gracecathedral.org/carnivale.

About Grace Cathedral

Grace Cathedral is an Episcopal church in the heart of San Francisco and the 3rd largest Episcopal cathedral in the United States. Grace Cathedral is a house of prayer for all people serving the community and its congregation with courage, joy and wonder through prayer, the arts and connection in its many forms. The cathedral is famed as a destination for visitors from all over the world who come to see its striking architecture, stunning stained glass, two labyrinths, Interfaith AIDS Chapel, listen to the Aeolian-Skinner organ and the different choirs of the cathedral, and to participate in its beautiful traditional and contemporary expressions of spirituality and prayer. Everyone is welcome. For more information visit www.gracecathedral.org.