Art of the Cocktail puts the fun in 'fun'draising

Shaken not stirred.

Leadership Clark County is celebrating its 10^th year of hosting its annual Art of the Cocktail fundraiser.

The Mardi Gras themed event will be from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 7, at Mother Stewart’s Brewing Company, with tickets on sale here through midnight March 1.

“Art of the Cocktail funds our Leadership Clark County Academy,” says Leigh Anne Lawrence, executive director of Leadership Clark County. “It’s our biggest fundraiser of the year. It keeps Leadership Clark County moving, it supports our mission, and it makes sure we’re able to keep supporting local non-profits and businesses in the community.”

Tickets to the event are $65 each, which includes entry, a drink ticket, and heavy hors d’oeuvres. The food will be provided by Seasons Kitchen and will be Mardi Gras-inspired, including King Cake, jambalaya and more.

Attendees will also get to enjoy a photo booth and tunes from DJ Chill, live music from a jazz band, and fun decor from Balloon Dog Events.

The event will again feature celebrity bartenders who will compete to earn the most tips with their signature cocktails. Three celebrity bartenders are Leadership alumni, who will be collecting tips toward the fundraiser itself, and one bartender represents a local non-profit, which will receive the total of the tips collected by that bartender. The non-profit bartender will serve a mocktail for anyone interested in a non-alcoholic drink.

This year’s celebrities are:

• Tiffany Dailey with Edward Jones, serving a NOLA Sazerac
• Mike Vervoort with The Stuckey Firm, serving Rum Mojitos
• Brian Nott with Park National Bank, serving a Tequila Sunrise
• Chris Wallace representing My Brother’s Keeper, serving a Shirley Temple

“We make a competition out of it, and whoever has the most tips at the end of the night is the winner and gets a trophy,” Lawrence says.

Leadership Clark County focuses on teaching about servant leadership and the importance of giving back to your community. In addition to information, Leadership provides people with the tools and resources to make a difference.

“Leadership Clark County has been around since 1981. We focus on the giving of time, talent and treasure for our community,” Lawrence says. “We teach individuals how to use those resources and how to work together through community activism and volunteering.

“Giving back empowers leadership in our community.”

Leadership Clark County is now accepting applications for the 2023-24 class. For more information and to apply, visit the Leadership website.