Outdoor Cajun feast supports red cross.

• Author: Pounds, Nancy
• Position: DINING

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A downtown street party featuring Cajun-style cuisine is set for Sept. 7 from 5:30-10 p.m. on Fourth Avenue between K and L streets in Anchorage. Tickets to A Taste of Mardi Gras," a fundraiser for the American Red Cross of Alaska, cost $25.

Originating in 2005 to raise money for victims of Hurricane Katrina, the first event featured several top Alaska chefs cooking New Orleans favorites with accompanying regional music and an auction, says Laura Spano, development specialist for the American Red Cross of Alaska. The inaugural event raised more than $80,000.

The Taste of Mardi Gras continues to tantalize taste buds and support local Red Cross efforts. "The tradition of caring has not declined over the years, but...