Ah, the glamour of the Academy Awards ... does anything compare to the sparkle, so-phistication and pomp and circumstance of the Oscars? While most of us aren’t going to make it to this much-anticipated Hollywood event, several local venues are pulling together to provide an equally high-end, sparkly experience for Fayetteville including paparazzi,frenzied fans and red carpet interviews.

The Arts Council is rolling out the red carpet for a fabulous pre-Oscar party at 7 p.m. on Sunday March 7.

“We have paparazzi and screaming fans ... and then we have some ac-tors from the Cape Fear Regional Theater,” said Maureen McKeon, com-munications manager for Partnership for Children of Cumberland County, Inc.

“They are going to be interviewing people on the red carpet, so you walk the red carpet into the party and then we’ll have heavy hors d’oeuvres and drinks inside.”

Just like the Academy’s event, come dressed to impress. It is the red carpet after all, and you never know who is watching.

“There is also a costume contest,” said McKeon.“We are encouraging people to come dressed as their favorite movie char-acter, favorite actor or actress or in their Hollywood finest — however they feel they want to come.”

Once inside, plan to bid on any of the several items that will be featured in the silent auction. There will be ev-erything from a trip for four to Disney World to a night-on-the-town pack-age, lunch with the mayor, a teeth whit-ening package, lawn services and more.

Inside the Arts Council there will be a big screen featur-ing Hollywood’s pre-Oscar party as well.

The Academy Awards begin at 8 p.m. (feel free to hang out at the pre-party until 9 p.m. if you like). The Cameo Art House Theatre will be showing the awards in their entirety, so it will be just a few steps down the block to catch the ceremony.

“It is really fun,” said McKeon. “We are going to have dessert and cof-fee available at the Cameo Theatre, too. Last year we had some impromptu things during the commercials — one of our guests (who played Gomer Pyle’s girlfriend on TV)Elizabeth McRae, she got up and sang during one of the commercials. I’m not sure if she is going to do that this year. You just never know what is going to happen.”

The funds raised will benefit the Partnership for Children of Cumberland County, Inc.“We have some programs for military fami-lies, and it also benefits the partnership’s Kids Stuff — the children’s area at the Dogwood Festival,” said McKeon.

“It allows us to bring in some really great stuff for children and families. We have some really awesome programs — we pretty much touch every child from birth to five-years-old in Cumberland County in some way.”

Tickets cost $60 per person, $40 for Cameo members, and $100 per couple. Call 867-9700 for reservations. Visit the Web site at www.ccpfc.org for more information.