Carnival Corpus Christi Friday, February 1, 2008 7:30 p.m. till midnight Dining, Dancing, and Entertainment Join the celebration of carnival at Corpus Christi's Mardi Gras Gala with its international mix of music, dancing, food, and drink. You'll enjoy a real carnival blend of festivities from New Orleans, Venice, Rio, the Mexican coast, and the Caribbean islands. Live music from three bands--Duke E. Brown, the Eddie Olivares Jr. Quartet, and Steel Vibrations--will include Latin blend, reggae, calypso, and, of course, New Orleans jazz for listening and dancing. We'll have brass, steel drums, and lots of rhythm! In addition, there will be a raffle for a mountain get-away trip and numerous silent auction items available for bidding. Emcee will be Jim Lago of 1360 KKTX Radio. All will take place at the Solomon Ortiz International Center, 402 Harbor Drive, a beautiful venue overlooking Corpus Christi Bay. The festivities will begin at 7:30 p.m., and your attire may be carnival or conventional. To make reservations, phone (361) 857-5896. Tickets are $150 a couple or $75 an individual. This event is the major 2008 fund-raiser for the Corpus Christi Literacy Council, a non-profit organization that provides literacy instruction to adults in the Coastal Bend region. Since its inception in 1986 the council has served thousands of individuals in the area through its educational programs. All proceeds from the gala will go to continuation and expansion of the council's important work.