Kevin Carter and Jay DeMarcus Held “Waiting for Wishes” Celebrity Waiters Dinner
and After-Party – Jammin’ with Jay DeMarcus & Friends
NASHVILLE, TN – NFL veteran, Super Bowl Champion and now College Game Day Analyst on ESPNU, Kevin Carter and co-host Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts held the 16th Annual Kevin Carter’s “Waiting for Wishes” Celebrity Waiters Dinner at The Palm Restaurant on Tuesday, April 18, 2017. The star-studded event will benefit The Kevin Carter Foundation and Make-A-Wish® Middle Tennessee. The event raises funds to help grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. Nashville’s premier celebrity event raised $125,000 Tuesday night and has now raised more than $2.1 million for charity since its inception in 2002.
The sold out celebrity event was an exclusive, VIP evening where Carter and DeMarcus invited professional athletes, country music artists and various celebrities from all over the country to take over The Palm as servers before they head over to Honky Tonk Central for the Official After-Party – Jammin’ with Jay DeMarcus & Friends. The event, presented by The Campbell Family Foundation and HCA, continues to be one of the most unique celebrity events in the country and is considered a “must attend” event for patrons and participants alike. Nearly fifty celebrities joined in to wait tables, sign autographs and perform at the after-party.
Celebrities included Motley Crue’s Vince Neil, country music artists Craig Campbell, Eric Paslay, Lindsay Ell, Hunter Hayes, Cassadee Pope, John Rich, Kellie Pickler, Halfway to Hazard, Kyle Jacobs, Hollywood actors Stephen Dorff, Michael Cudlitz, Marty Kove, Jonathan Schaech, Kristy Swanson, ESPN’s Charles Arbuckle, Rachel Baribeau, Jason Fitz, Elika Sadeghi, Maria Taylor, Tom Luginbill, Sage Steele, media personalities Bonnie Bernstein, Jenn Brown and Storme Warren, comedian Kevin Farley, ABC’s The Bachelor / Bachelorette’s Kaitlyn Bristowe, Shawn Booth, Luke Pell, Chris Soules, current and former Titans players Marcus Mariota, Chris Spencer, Michael Roos, UFC/MMA fighters Randy Couture, Mike Perry and WWE’s Titus O’Neil.
The Dinner – The Palm Restaurant
The evening began with a cocktail reception for patrons at 5:45 p.m., followed by The Palm’s famous “Surf & Turf” dinner. A premier silent and live auction featured exotic trips, autographed celebrity memorabilia, and once in a lifetime experiences. The celebrities served guests, signed autographs, and accepted donations to indulge the lively crowd.
The Official After-Party
In 2012 “Waiting for Wishes” expanded to include an Official After-Party – “Jammin’ with Jay DeMarcus & Friends.” This informal jam session is tons of fun for patrons and servers alike. “Jammin’ with Jay DeMarcus & Friends” has featured impromptu performances from artists like Rick Springfield, Darius Rucker and Big & Rich.
“I am again so grateful to be able to host this incredible event in Nashville,” said ESPNU Analyst Kevin Carter. “I’m thankful to my co-host Jay DeMarcus and the unbelievable celebrities that show up to wait tables for our patrons each year. I am thrilled when I think about how many wishes we’ve been able to grant for children with life-threatening illnesses through our fundraising efforts and this event for the past fifteen years.”
The event is sponsored by The Campbell Family Foundation, HCA, AudioDeluxe, Aon, PAR, Tennessee Titans, The Hilton Downtown Nashville, Empire Distributors, DET Distributing, Donatos Pizza, MStreet Properties, Nashville Lifestyles, RJ Young, The Palm, Matchless Transportation, Honky Tonk Central, Ego Design, Lipman, Jewelbox and Tito’s Vodka.