On a warm night, overlooking the city on a downtown rooftop, Holy Cross School kicked off its annual Gold and Blue Gala. The evening began on Saturday, March 29, 2025 with a festive Patron Party situated at Rosie’s on the Roof with a backdrop view of downtown New Orleans and The National WWII Museum; guests imbibed and enjoyed various passed hors d’oeuvres like Seafood Croquettes and Short Rib Beignets.
The fete continued downstairs in the Arcadia Ballroom of the Higgins Hotel, where the Gala opened its doors to alumni, current school families, and friends of Holy Cross School. Holy Cross President Justin J. Fleetwood ’91 greeted guests and formally welcomed them stating, “Tonight, I truly believe we are witnesses to the beginning of the golden era for Holy Cross School, and your support this evening is for the young men entrusted to our care as well as the future students who will call Holy Cross home.”
Patrons enjoyed an array of dishes from charcuterie and a Mediterranean display to flat breads, Cider-Brined Smoked Turkey Hen, and Slow-Roasted Prime Rib by the Higgins Hotel Executive Chef Virgile Brandel and his culinary team.
The Gold and Blue Gala delighted guests with a live auction featuring a nostalgic and exclusive Holy Cross neon sign that harkens back to the days when the campus was located at 4950 Dauphine Street. This sign, handmade and generously donated by Mike Morgani ’75, had alumni, young and old, bidding for a piece of Holy Cross history. While bids were flying at the live auction, the online silent auction boasted more than 400 items ranging from two tickets to the upcoming Notre Dame vs. Navy game, which included airfare vouchers and accommodations, to four different condo rentals on the Gulf Coast. Guests also had the opportunity to support the school with the purchase of a jewelry raffle presented by Aucoin Hart Jewelers, featuring a gorgeous David Yurman diamond starburst ring handsomely donated by Tommy Aucoin Jr. ’92.
If that was not enough, guests danced the night away in the ballroom, adorned in blue and gold with music spinning by DJ Music by Luke. This sold-out evening showcased that the enthusiasm for Holy Cross School is stronger than ever, and the future of this storied institution is reinvigorated through the generous support of its donors, families, friends, and volunteers who made this night unforgettable.
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Holy Cross School is an independent, Catholic, college-preparatory school founded in 1849 by the Congregation of Holy Cross to educate young men in the greater New Orleans community. Holy Cross is fully approved by the Louisiana State Department of Education and accredited by the Cognia organization as a college-preparatory school for boys in grades PK–12.
Holy Cross School admits students of any race, color, national origin, or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. Holy Cross School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.