The Powell Medical Foundation is adding an extra table to this year’s festive fundraiser, because last year all 250 seats were filled.

This year there are 260 seats available for the Mardi Gras Fundraiser on Saturday at the Park County Fairgrounds. The event will, once again, include dinner, live music, auction items and more. The event starts at 6 p.m. and tickets cost $45.

The Northwest College Jazz band will be providing the sounds of the evening, while dinner will again be catered by Cajun Phatty’s and includes foods such as shrimp, grits and sausage; jambalaya; potatoes, corn and sausage; and the Billing’s caterer’s famous fried biscuits.

For 40 years, Powell Medical Foundation has been the fundraising heart of Powell Valley Healthcare and donors have gifted over $2.5 million in support. Foundation Director Amy Wells said $42,000 was raised at the event last year. That money went to a project expanding clinical space at the hospital.

This year the funds will go toward the hospital’s operating room remodel project.

“Could be a decent chunk to help with that first phase at least,” she said at a recent hospital board meeting.

— By Zac Taylor