What began as a holiday fundraiser has grown into one of St. Charles Parish’s most popular charitable events, with an impact now reaching far beyond its original mission. The fourth annual Cocktails & King Cakes will be held Saturday, January 10, continuing its support of the Special Olympics of St. Charles Parish while building on momentum created by last year’s record fundraising success.
Since moving from a Christmas themed event to a Mardi Gras celebration, Cocktails & King Cakes has seen a surge in attendance and community involvement. Organizers say the shift to January has allowed the event to become a natural kickoff to the Mardi Gras season, free from the scheduling conflicts that often come with December events.
“January gave us room to grow,” said event founder Cera Jewell. “People are excited to come out, enjoy king cake and music, and support something meaningful.”
Last year’s event raised more than $63,000, allowing organizers to do more than support Special Olympics athletes. Because of that success, the Cocktails & King Cakes team was able to expand its charitable reach by launching Boxes & Blessings, a Thanksgiving meal distribution that took place this past November.
Through Boxes & Blessings, 300 local families received boxes containing full Thanksgiving meals, including turkey, sides, dessert, and drinks. In addition, the first 100 cars in line received a ham provided by the St. Charles Parish Hospital.
The Thanksgiving distribution was made possible through partnerships with United Way of St. Charles and Blessed to be a Blessing. Organizers pointed to the growing need in the parish, noting that an estimated 40 percent of families and 60 percent of children live at or below the poverty line.
“Our mission will always be to support our Special Olympics athletes,” Jewell said. “But being able to also help feed families showed us how much more this event can do.”
This expanded impact was made possible through strong community support, including numerous sponsorships and donations from local businesses and community members. Top sponsors for this year’s event include IMTT, Shell, Valero, River Birch, G Smith Motorsports, Loyd J Bourgeois Injury & Accident Lawyer, Bunge, and Entergy. Committee member Lindy Bourgeois said the generosity of these companies, along with many individual donors, has helped Cocktails & King Cakes continue to grow each year.
This year’s Cocktails & King Cakes will be held at G. Smith Motorsports on Airline Highway in St. Rose, with doors opening at 6 p.m. Guests can expect cocktails, king cake, live music, raffles, and a silent auction featuring items donated by local businesses and community supporters.
Tickets for the January 10 event are available through Eventbrite at
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cocktails-king-cakes-fundraiser-2026-tickets-1968830695610
Organizers encourage early ticket purchases, citing the event’s continued growth and rising popularity since its transition to a Mardi Gras themed celebration.
