GALVESTON – A local performance group is inviting the community to kick off Mardi Gras season with a new, intimate celebration on the waterfront.

WhoDah Krewe will host its first-ever masquerade ball, Dark Night on the High Seas, on Saturday, January 17, at 7 p.m. The event will take place at 2100 Harborside Drive. Online registration for the ball is now closed, with tickets previously priced at $95 per person.

Organizers say the event is meant to offer something different from the larger Mardi Gras festivities the island is known for.

Jenny Kelly, a longtime Mardi Gras participant who has been involved with crews for about 20 years, said the idea grew from a desire to create a new kind of gathering.

“I thought it would be nice to have something new,” Kelly said. “This is our first year putting on this ball.”

Kelly said keeping the event smaller was intentional, allowing for a more personal experience.

_{Courtesy: WhoDah Krewe/David James}

“It’s nice to have a small event while the others are bigger,” she said. “It makes it more intimate, more connected. We also get the chance to thank those who’ve helped us along the way.”

Karin Greene, another organizer, described the group dynamic as welcoming and energetic.

“It’s absolutely amazing,” Greene said. “We meet often, and they bring the right everything.”

Greene said the ball is open to the public and is meant to help the krewe connect with the broader community.

“We want to get to know everyone,” she said. “We want to have a fun kickoff for Mardi Gras.”

WhoDah Krewe describes itself as more than a performance group. The organization focuses on community involvement alongside its artistic work, aiming to make a positive impact throughout Galveston.

In its inaugural year in 2024, the krewe logged more than 165 hours of community involvement. Their website says they plan to more than double that effort in 2025 as they expand their outreach and involvement across the city.

“We believe in celebrating culture while contributing to the betterment of our beloved city,” the group said in a statement.

Saturday’s masquerade ball serves both as a seasonal celebration and a reflection of that mission, blending Mardi Gras tradition with a more personal, community-centered approach.