Annual Toast to the Coast fundraiser set for October 16 in Pass Christian
By Toni Miles
Long after the party’s, over the gift of education remains.”
The “party” is Coast Episcopal School’s annual Toast to the Coast fundraiser.
This year’s fundraising event is scheduled for Friday, October 16, at 845 East Scenic Drive in Pass Christian.
Boasting more than thirty restaurants across South Mississippi and housed under an enormous restaurant tent, the event offers up the best dishes, cuisine and beverages the Mississippi Gulf Coast has to offer, alongside an auction tent and art exhibits.
Toast to the Coast has consistently been voted the best fundraiser on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, attracting hundreds of attendees each year. Over the years, Toast to the Coast has grown from a simple “backyard party” to one of the most popular fundraisers in South Mississippi.
As with each year, dozens of talented chefs and local caterers will be on hand, serving up samples of the best dishes and drinks they have to offer. Throughout the evening, a silent auction, featuring a myriad of items donated by area businesses, artists and merchants will be up for bid.
After dinner, the stage will light up as the live auction gets underway, with attendees raising their paddles, placing their bids on coveted items and packages, from local art to vacation getaways.
To find out which local restaurants, breweries and bakeries will be participating in this year’s event, or to purchase tickets, visit ToastTickets.org.
The sign up to start bidding in the silent auction starts on October 10.
VIP reception guests will be welcomed with an intimate trio performance by James Martin’s Big Easy Band before the band expands into a full six-piece ensemble for the main event. which begins at 7 p.m.
Single entry tickets to the main event cost $150. Tickets for a VIP Patron Party, which starts at 6 p.m., are also available for purchase.
The Children in the Arts Exhibit will be located in the gazebo to the left of the stage.
Parking is available at Trinity Episcopal Church, located at 125 Church Avenue in Pass Christian, with a shuttle running to and from the event throughout the evening.
Organizers will send self check-in instructions to all guests with contact information, to help streamline them through registration at the door.
For more information, visit toast2thecoast@myces.org.
“One of the most exceptional aspects of Toast to the Coast is its ‘Children in the Arts’ program,” says Kathleen Theriot, five-time Toast to the Coast Chair.
Started in the late 1980s by a dynamic coast woman, Isleta Braun wanted to get more school-aged children involved in art. Children from across the coast submitted their artwork, which is then judged by a prominent, professional artist. Winners receive $100 and are invited to attend a free workshop put on by local artists at the Gail Keenan Art Center where their work is displayed after it is shown at Toast to the Coast.
