On Friday, March 30, the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music will host its second annual Red-Carpet-Ready Dress Sale, a fundraising event for the Center’s music-education program as well as services in Musicians’ Village. This year’s event will again feature special guest and NCIS: New Orleans star CCH Pounder.

It was Pounder, in fact, who first suggested the event, which launched in 2017. The celebrated television star gathers red-carpet gowns from celebrity friends, which are then sold at the event. Last year’s proceeds funded educational scholarships, instrument repairs, and much-needed equipment and supply purchases. This year will work in much the same fashion, though the community will have more than one opportunity to partake in the sale. On Thursday, March 29, the Center (located at 1901 Bartholomew St.) will host a Happy Hour Preview and Sale from 5:30-7:30 p.m. There, local musicians (as yet unannounced) will entertain the crowd while the public is free to peruse the items available for sale.

The main event is Friday’s Dress Sale and Good Friday Celebration, which is free and open to the public. It kicks off at 11 a.m. at the Center and will run until 2 p.m.. Dresses start as low as $40 and can be purchased with cash or credit/debit cards. Those unable to attend either event can still contribute to the Center’s livelihood by making an online donation.