Category: A Dark and Stormy Night
Meet some of the people who will be making A Dark & Stormy Night 2018 spooktacular
Tickets are on sale now for our annual Halloween cocktail contest and dance party benefiting our free youth writing and publishing programs. You can get them here. Read on to see who you’ll get the chance to party with next Thursday, October 11.
Hosts:
Our hosts are advocates for our students and their stories and will be leading the way in making A Dark and Stormy Night special. They will be judging our costume contest and choosing the best-presented cocktail.
Megan Braden-Perry
The author of Crescent City Snow: The Ultimate Guide to New Orleans Snowball Stands, Megan Braden-Perry is the world’s foremost authority on all things snowball. As a writer her byline has been in NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune, Gambit, NY Daily News, ESSENCE, JEZEBEL, WhereTraveler and OffBeat. She is a long-time Big Class/826 New Orleans volunteer.
Justin Shiels
Justin Shiels received his BFA in Graphic Design from Loyola University New Orleans and his Masters in Arts Administration from the University of New Orleans. He has over 9 years of experience in communications, marketing, and graphic design. As the Creative Director at FSC Interactive, he is passionate about creating compelling strategies, design, and content. He was an illustration for the second ever Big Class project, and has been a supporter ever since.
Larry Morrow
A 27-year-old serial entrepreneur residing in New Orleans, Larry Morrow’s claim to fame is being an event curator – producing lavish, star-studded events hosted by celebrities like Diddy, Floyd Mayweather, Drake and more. Morrow is a mild-mannered businessman who has garnered substantial success in the entertainment industry which has allowed him to launch other ventures, such as Larry Morrow Properties, his critically-acclaimed self-help book, “All Bets On Me” and most recently, Morrow’s Restaurant in New Orleans.
Cocktail Judges:
Our panel of cocktail experts from across the city will be selecting the coveted best cocktail award.
Scott Hicks
Scott was the winner of the 2017 Dark and Stormy Night Cocktail competition. He relocated to New Orleans from South Florida a few years ago and joined the James Beard Award-winning staff of CureCo. (Cure, Cane and Table, and Cafe Henri), working under mentor Kirk Estopinal. Currently, he’s part of the staff at 21st Amendment La Louisiane, a highly regarded cocktail bar in the heart of the French Quarter and local cocktail dive Twelve Mile Limit.
Kimberly Patton-Bragg
A restaurant-industry veteran with twenty years of experience under her belt, Kimberly now proudly hangs her hat at Jeff Beachbum Berry’s Latitude 29. Several publications have featured Kimberly’s original cocktails, including Imbibe, The New York Times, Nightclub & Bar, Saveur, and the Times-Picayune. Kimberly honed her skills at Danny Meyer’s Blue Smoke and Jazz Standard in New York City before relocating to New Orleans.
Elizabeth Pearce
Elizabeth Pearce, founder and owner of Drink & Learn, is a Louisiana native and drinks historian who tells the story of New Orleans through its iconic beverages. She is also the Education Specialist for the Sazerac Liquor Company’s historic brands and the Drinks Curator of the Southern Food and Beverage Museum, where she was the founding Senior Curator prior to creating Drink & Learn. She is the author of Drink Dat New Orleans: A Guide to the Best Cocktail Bars, Neighborhood Pubs and All Night Dives, and a co-author of The French Quarter Drinking Companion, a guidebook to the many bars of the French Quarter.
Daniela Jagemann
As the Chief of Staff for Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, Daniela has applied her knowledge to the global non-profit organization that Educates, Advances, and Supports the global hospitality industry. Her most recent accomplishments within the Foundation include facilitating the inaugural Grants Program and establishing Beyond the Bar, an initiative aimed at addressing the industry’s complex issues.
T. Cole Newton
Cole’s Mid City cocktail dive Twelve Mile Limit in 2010 has received many honors including having been selected as one of the top ten bars in New Orleans by the Times-Picayune every year that list has been published and was named the best bar in New Orleans by The Manual in 2017. He has been a huge part of making A Dark and Stormy Night happen every year!
Paula Echevarria
Food is Paula’s passion, but cocktails are her mistress, and she has been extensively covering the subject as a freelance digital journalist and social media maven for the past 5 years in publications such as Edible and the Miami New Times. She’s back in her true love New Orleans after being away for ten years, and you can follow her food and tippling adventures at Very Local New Orleans.
And our evening’s DJ:
DJ Chinua
DJ Chinua is a soundweaver for Dopeciety, Saint Heron and more. He hosts a monthly astrological party at Cafe Istanbul called Ascendance.
Don’t miss out on this one-of-a-kind spooky cocktail party! Purchase your tickets today.
#BigClassBestTen: A Dark and Stormy Night 2017
October 5th was the fourth annual A Dark and Stormy Night—a literary Halloween party and spirited cocktail contest in support of Big Class’s free writing programs.
Spirited thanks to our generous sponsors and our thoughtful partners who made the evening such a spooky success!
You can view all the photos from our 2017 graveyard smash here.
How does A Dark and Stormy Night support young writers?
Learn more about how Big Class’s Halloween literary costume and cocktail party supports our city’s young writers.
1. They gain crucial writing skills
Big Class programs are project-based, engaging students over an extended period of time with the goal of publishing a book. Our programs are challenging and fun, and always emphasize individuality and imagination.
Along the way, students gain essential writing skills that improves the experience of confidently sharing their work with a wider audience.
2. They get a chance to flex their creative muscles
Big Class programs encourage students to practice and hone their writing skills outside of academic contexts.
We believe in cultivating a sense of possibility that allows for creativity, joy, humor, and weirdness.
3. They learn about themselves in the process
Student voice is placed at the forefront of any Big Class program.
We believe that powerful youth become powerful adults.
4. They collaborate with other students in safe spaces
Big Class offers safe spaces for young people to come together, think creatively, and write.
Last year, 90% of students reported that Big Class helped them improve their abilities to work well with others.
When students feel supported, the creative and collaborative possibilities are endless.
5. They attain a sense of empowerment
All Big Class programs culminate in a finished product that students can hold in their own hands and feel proud of.
We also throw a publishing party for students to share their wonderful work with their teachers, friends, and family.
We believe providing young people with opportunities to publish and celebrate their work builds self-empowerment and paves a pathway to future success.
In addition to raising crucial funds that make our work possible, A Dark and Stormy Night is a a great reason to dress your spookiest, drink delicious cocktails, and bid on fantastic auction items.
Join us for this spooky celebration of young writers, creativity, and all things literary:
Early Bird Special on tickets for A Dark and Stormy Night!
Now through Labor Day, enjoy $15 off of general admission tickets to Big Class’s annual literary Halloween party, A Dark and Stormy Night. You don’t want to miss this event, which was named one of NOLA.com’s 11 Best Parties of 2015. Click here to purchase tickets!
NOLA.com’s Best 11 Parties of 2015 features Big Class’s A Dark and Stormy Night
December 29, 2015/NOLA.com
Big Class’s annual gala, A Dark and Stormy Night, was on NOLA.com’s Best 11 Parties of 2015 list! A Dark and Stormy Night featured a silent auction, a reading of ghost stories, and, of course, all things haunted. View the full list: http://www.nola.com/society/index.ssf/2015/12/best_11_new_orleans_parties_of.html#3
Meet some of the people who will be making A Dark & Stormy Night 2018 spooktacular
Tickets are on sale now for our annual Halloween cocktail contest and dance party benefiting our free youth writing and publishing programs. You can get them here. Read on to see who you’ll get the chance to party with next Thursday, October 11.
Hosts:
Our hosts are advocates for our students and their stories and will be leading the way in making A Dark and Stormy Night special. They will be judging our costume contest and choosing the best-presented cocktail.
Megan Braden-Perry
The author of Crescent City Snow: The Ultimate Guide to New Orleans Snowball Stands, Megan Braden-Perry is the world’s foremost authority on all things snowball. As a writer her byline has been in NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune, Gambit, NY Daily News, ESSENCE, JEZEBEL, WhereTraveler and OffBeat. She is a long-time Big Class/826 New Orleans volunteer.
Justin Shiels
Justin Shiels received his BFA in Graphic Design from Loyola University New Orleans and his Masters in Arts Administration from the University of New Orleans. He has over 9 years of experience in communications, marketing, and graphic design. As the Creative Director at FSC Interactive, he is passionate about creating compelling strategies, design, and content. He was an illustration for the second ever Big Class project, and has been a supporter ever since.
Larry Morrow
A 27-year-old serial entrepreneur residing in New Orleans, Larry Morrow’s claim to fame is being an event curator – producing lavish, star-studded events hosted by celebrities like Diddy, Floyd Mayweather, Drake and more. Morrow is a mild-mannered businessman who has garnered substantial success in the entertainment industry which has allowed him to launch other ventures, such as Larry Morrow Properties, his critically-acclaimed self-help book, “All Bets On Me” and most recently, Morrow’s Restaurant in New Orleans.
Cocktail Judges:
Our panel of cocktail experts from across the city will be selecting the coveted best cocktail award.
Scott Hicks
Scott was the winner of the 2017 Dark and Stormy Night Cocktail competition. He relocated to New Orleans from South Florida a few years ago and joined the James Beard Award-winning staff of CureCo. (Cure, Cane and Table, and Cafe Henri), working under mentor Kirk Estopinal. Currently, he’s part of the staff at 21st Amendment La Louisiane, a highly regarded cocktail bar in the heart of the French Quarter and local cocktail dive Twelve Mile Limit.
Kimberly Patton-Bragg
A restaurant-industry veteran with twenty years of experience under her belt, Kimberly now proudly hangs her hat at Jeff Beachbum Berry’s Latitude 29. Several publications have featured Kimberly’s original cocktails, including Imbibe, The New York Times, Nightclub & Bar, Saveur, and the Times-Picayune. Kimberly honed her skills at Danny Meyer’s Blue Smoke and Jazz Standard in New York City before relocating to New Orleans.
Elizabeth Pearce
Elizabeth Pearce, founder and owner of Drink & Learn, is a Louisiana native and drinks historian who tells the story of New Orleans through its iconic beverages. She is also the Education Specialist for the Sazerac Liquor Company’s historic brands and the Drinks Curator of the Southern Food and Beverage Museum, where she was the founding Senior Curator prior to creating Drink & Learn. She is the author of Drink Dat New Orleans: A Guide to the Best Cocktail Bars, Neighborhood Pubs and All Night Dives, and a co-author of The French Quarter Drinking Companion, a guidebook to the many bars of the French Quarter.
Daniela Jagemann
As the Chief of Staff for Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, Daniela has applied her knowledge to the global non-profit organization that Educates, Advances, and Supports the global hospitality industry. Her most recent accomplishments within the Foundation include facilitating the inaugural Grants Program and establishing Beyond the Bar, an initiative aimed at addressing the industry’s complex issues.
T. Cole Newton
Cole’s Mid City cocktail dive Twelve Mile Limit in 2010 has received many honors including having been selected as one of the top ten bars in New Orleans by the Times-Picayune every year that list has been published and was named the best bar in New Orleans by The Manual in 2017. He has been a huge part of making A Dark and Stormy Night happen every year!
Paula Echevarria
Food is Paula’s passion, but cocktails are her mistress, and she has been extensively covering the subject as a freelance digital journalist and social media maven for the past 5 years in publications such as Edible and the Miami New Times. She’s back in her true love New Orleans after being away for ten years, and you can follow her food and tippling adventures at Very Local New Orleans.
And our evening’s DJ:
DJ Chinua
DJ Chinua is a soundweaver for Dopeciety, Saint Heron and more. He hosts a monthly astrological party at Cafe Istanbul called Ascendance.
Don’t miss out on this one-of-a-kind spooky cocktail party! Purchase your tickets today.
#BigClassBestTen: A Dark and Stormy Night 2017
October 5th was the fourth annual A Dark and Stormy Night—a literary Halloween party and spirited cocktail contest in support of Big Class’s free writing programs.
Spirited thanks to our generous sponsors and our thoughtful partners who made the evening such a spooky success!
You can view all the photos from our 2017 graveyard smash here.
How does A Dark and Stormy Night support young writers?
Learn more about how Big Class’s Halloween literary costume and cocktail party supports our city’s young writers.
1. They gain crucial writing skills
Big Class programs are project-based, engaging students over an extended period of time with the goal of publishing a book. Our programs are challenging and fun, and always emphasize individuality and imagination. Along the way, students gain essential writing skills that improves the experience of confidently sharing their work with a wider audience. |
2. They get a chance to flex their creative muscles
Big Class programs encourage students to practice and hone their writing skills outside of academic contexts.
We believe in cultivating a sense of possibility that allows for creativity, joy, humor, and weirdness.
3. They learn about themselves in the process
Student voice is placed at the forefront of any Big Class program.
We believe that powerful youth become powerful adults.
4. They collaborate with other students in safe spaces
Big Class offers safe spaces for young people to come together, think creatively, and write.
Last year, 90% of students reported that Big Class helped them improve their abilities to work well with others.
When students feel supported, the creative and collaborative possibilities are endless.
5. They attain a sense of empowerment
All Big Class programs culminate in a finished product that students can hold in their own hands and feel proud of.
We also throw a publishing party for students to share their wonderful work with their teachers, friends, and family.
We believe providing young people with opportunities to publish and celebrate their work builds self-empowerment and paves a pathway to future success.
In addition to raising crucial funds that make our work possible, A Dark and Stormy Night is a a great reason to dress your spookiest, drink delicious cocktails, and bid on fantastic auction items.
Join us for this spooky celebration of young writers, creativity, and all things literary:
Early Bird Special on tickets for A Dark and Stormy Night!
Now through Labor Day, enjoy $15 off of general admission tickets to Big Class’s annual literary Halloween party, A Dark and Stormy Night. You don’t want to miss this event, which was named one of NOLA.com’s 11 Best Parties of 2015. Click here to purchase tickets!
NOLA.com’s Best 11 Parties of 2015 features Big Class’s A Dark and Stormy Night
December 29, 2015/NOLA.com
Big Class’s annual gala, A Dark and Stormy Night, was on NOLA.com’s Best 11 Parties of 2015 list! A Dark and Stormy Night featured a silent auction, a reading of ghost stories, and, of course, all things haunted. View the full list: http://www.nola.com/society/index.ssf/2015/12/best_11_new_orleans_parties_of.html#3