16th Annual Mardi Gras Gala - 2/16/10

The Westin Convention Center Pittsburgh was bursting with live music, thousands of colorful balloons, talented jugglers, and 800 beaded-necklace-clad guests for the Epilepsy Foundation Western/Central Pennsylvania’s 16th Annual Mardi Gras Gala. The gala, held yearly on Fat Tuesday, raised $350,000 for the Epilepsy Foundation Western/Central Pennsylvania. Guests danced to the music of the John Parker Band, enjoyed Creole-inspired cuisine and a candy buffet, while remembering and honoring those affected by epilepsy. Each year, a Mardi Gras King is selected and crowned — this year’s royalty was Greg Babe, president and CEO of Bayer Corporation and Bayer MaterialScience LLC. The 2009 Mardi Gras Queen, UPMC President Diane Holder, crowned Babe after he was escorted into the gala by Bayer's mascot. Pittsburgh’s annual Mardi Gras celebration mirrors the festivity and spirit of New Orleans, according to Epilepsy Foundation Executive Director Judith Painter. “I’ve been told several times that it is the best party in Pittsburgh,” she says. Photography by Megan Wylie