NEW ORLEANS – The “Fastest Two Minutes in Sports” will happen 705 miles from New Orleans on Saturday, May 2, 2015, but local horseracing fans don't have to travel to Kentucky to celebrate.
While competitors are lining up for the 141st Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, Fulton Street in downtown New Orleans will be abuzz with an interactive festival, the city's newest.
Derby on Fulton will begin at 1:00 p.m. that Saturday, with live music by the Pocket Aces Jazz Band, food from Ernst Café, sweets from P.J.'s Coffee and Derby hats from Fleur de Paris.
Apres Lounge and Fulton Alley are the organizers of the event.
There is no cost to enter the festival, and a portion of sales from local vendors, along with winnings from racing pools, will support Team Gleason.
Prizes will include a free custom suit, $1,000 Derby hats, $500 bar tabs and bowling packages from The Apres Lounge and Fulton Alley.
"More and more, people are gravitating to Fulton Street for entertainment," said Libby Kemp of Fulton Alley. "With ample parking, the safety of a pedestrian mall, and a diverse and booming business corridor, Fulton Street is becoming one of the Crescent City's most thriving entertainment districts."
"When considering how to make the most of Derby on Fulton, we recognized that the people of New Orleans don't just like to have fun; they like to make a difference," said Shane Songy of Apres Lounge. "Partnering with Team Gleason was a natural choice, and we're excited to offer the community a free, fun-filled event and the opportunity to support a great cause, too."
"Fulton Street is becoming as iconic a venue as Steve Gleason is a local hero," said Gerald Duhon of Team Gleason. "We're very happy to be the beneficiaries of this first-of-its-kind event."
Steve Gleason will always be remembered for his blocked punt on the night the New Orleans Superdome reopened for the first time after Hurricane Katrina. Gleason played for The New Orleans Saints from 2000-2008. In 2011, Gleason was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), considered a terminal neuro-muscular disease. Gleason is determined to inspire others by continuing to pursue life adventures despite his diagnosis, and has challenged the worlds of technology and science to identify their most promising developments toward new treatments and a cure.
Gleason and his friends and family started Team Gleason to generate public awareness for ALS, raise funding to empower those with ALS to live a rewarding life, and ultimately find a cure.
