By Cindy Schroeder
The Cincinnati Enquirer

COVINGTON - This Carnival season, Covington will again be the site of two major Mardi Gras celebrations leading up to Lent.

On March 3, the Northern Kentucky Restaurant Association will host its 12th annual fund-raiser for homeless children. Because of a conflict with a large convention, this year's "gourmet grazing" at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center has been moved from Fat Tuesday to "Mardi Gras Monday," said Gordy Snyder, chairman of the fund-raiser.

"We encourage people to buy tickets ahead of time just because of the number of people coming to the event," Snyder said. "Last year, it was sold out."

The MainStrasse Village Association also plans to host its annual public Mardi Gras celebration Feb. 28 and March 1 in the MainStrasse Village, pending city approval of its permit.

This week, the president of the MainStrasse Village Association has been meeting with Covington City Manager Greg Jarvis to finalize security and other details.

In 2001, Covington officials canceled the public Mardi Gras celebration after residents complained of vandalism, litter and drunken celebrants urinating in their yards. Even though last year's event resulted in 59 arrests - mostly for alcohol intoxication and disorderly conduct - police and residents said it was better organized than the rowdy celebration in 2000.

The MainStrasse Village Association will host parades at 7:30 p.m. each night featuring Big Heads, floats and bands. A tent in the Fifth Street parking lot will have musical entertainment and food and beverages.

Like last year's "kinder, gentler Mardi Gras," no open container beverages will be allowed outside of the tent or the restaurants and bars, said Danielle Eulitt, president of the MainStrasse Village Association.

Ticket booths will open at 5 p.m. each night, and anyone 21 or older can purchase wristbands for $10 that will admit them into the tent or MainStrasse bars.

For information and/or registration forms for the parades, call the MainStrasse Village Association office at (859) 491-0458.

For the Northern Kentucky Restaurant Association Mardi Gras, tickets are $40 and cover admission as well as unlimited food and beverages for the evening, Snyder said. Thirty Greater Cincinnati restaurants and 14 beverage distributors will have samples of their specialties.

"Because of the nature of the event, we don't encourage people under 21," Snyder said. "It's more of a social event benefiting charity, and it's a little more upscale."

Besides individual admission, tables are available for purchase by individuals and corporations.

"Back by popular demand for the fourth year are (WLW personality) Bill Cunningham and (former Cincinnati Reds majority owner) Marge Schott," Snyder said. "They're both great people who have an absolute ball, and the crowd loves them."

During the past 11 years, the event has raised nearly $350,000, and last year's celebration raised $53,000, Snyder said. Proceeds are divided among Brighton Center's Homeward Bound emergency shelter in Covington; for abused, neglected or abandoned teenagers and preteens; Bethany House Services in Cincinnati; Mercy/Franciscan at St. John's in Cincinnati's Over-the Rhine neighborhood; and Welcome House of Northern Kentucky Inc. in Covington.

Organizers hope to raise $60,000 this year.

"This fund-raiser is very important," said Lorre Lefur, assistant department director for Brighton Center. "We literally pay our food bills out of that fund."

Tickets can be purchased by calling the Northern Kentucky Restaurant Association at (859) 291-NKRA (6572.) They also are available at the four benefiting agencies.

E-mail cschroeder@enquirer.com