A series of festive events gets year off to a good start

12: Aaron Neville and the Neville Brothers concert to benefit Advocates for Children & Youth, 7 p.m. Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Tickets are $35, $75 or $125. $125 tickets include a champagne-dessert reception. Call [phone].

18: The Baltimore Alumni Chapter of the Johns Hopkins University Mid-Winter Ball, 8:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. at Peabody Library. Raw bar, open bar, cocktail buffet. Tickets are $50 for members, $60 nonmembers. Black-tie optional. Free parking at the Peabody Garage on St. Paul Street. Call [phone].

25: The Maryvale Preparatory School's fourth annual Mardi Gras, Belvedere Hotel. Dinner, dancing, games of chance and auctions. Tickets are $150 a couple. Reservations by Feb. 17. Call [phone].

28: Third Annual Fells Point Mardi Gras North at 7 p.m. Percentage of sales benefits the Grant-A-Wish Foundation and the Children's House at Hopkins. Call Ashlyn Sewel at [phone] for participating businesses.

MARCH

2: "A Breath of Spring," a lecture by Wilhelmina Holladay, founder of the National Museum of Women in Washington, spring boutique and luncheon beginning at 10:30 a.m., the Baltimore Museum of Art. Tickets are $20 nonmembers for lecture only; $15 BMA members; $30 tickets for nonmembers includes the lunch; $25 members. Call [phone].

4: Expressions '95 benefit, 7:30 p.m. at the Baltimore School for the Arts. Highlights are cocktails, attending classes of your choice and performances. Tickets $150. Call [phone].

5: Bull & Oyster Roast to benefit Sarah's House, Anne Arundel County's Homeless Shelter, 1 p.m.-6 p.m. at Earleigh Heights Fire Hall; $25 for adults, $8 for age 12 and under. Call [phone].

16: The Salvation Army Boys and Girls Clubs of Baltimore's Fourth Annual Steak and Burger Dinner, 6 p.m. Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel. Tickets are $85 a person or $155 a couple. Call [phone], Ext. 231.

17: The Maryland Chapter of Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's St. Patrick's Day Party from 9 p.m.-1 a.m., sixth floor, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, light buffet, auction, open bar, money wheels and dance contests. Tickets $35 advance or $40 at the door. Call [phone].

18: Health Care for the Homeless 10th Anniversary Comedy Care '95 featuring Tommy Davidson at 7 p.m. Goucher College Kraushaar Auditorium. Show tickets $25. Tickets for show and ++ party after the show $100. Casual dress. Call [phone].

18: Beaux-Arts Ball benefits Lifesongs for AIDS at Baltimore Museum of Art at 8 p.m. Food and drink will accompany auction and costume competition. Tickets $75. Call [phone].

18: Fourth Annual Garage Sale to benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs of Maryland, 7 p.m. at the Museum of Industry. Dress is tacky black-tie. Tickets are $25 and include open bar, ethnic foods, dancing, games and auctions. Call [phone].

22: Fourth Annual Great Chefs Dinner, a benefit for the Child Abuse Prevention Center. Cocktail hour begins 6:30 p.m. at Linwood's-Due. Dinner at 7:30. Seating is limited to 200. Tickets are $175. Call [phone].

25: The Howard County Heart Ball at 7 p.m.-11 p.m. Spear Center in Columbia. Tickets are $50. Call [phone].

25: The Joe Sandusky Foundation salutes Miami Dolphin head coach Don Shula, 6:30 p.m.-11:30 p.m. at the National Aquarium in Baltimore. Tickets are $150. Send checks to the Joe Sandusky Foundation, P.O. Box 1068, Sparks, Md. 21152. Call [phone].

25: Shazaam! Bang, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation fund-raiser, 8 p.m. at the Diamond International Galleries in Timonium. Tickets are $50. Call [phone].

26: The Third Annual Goods and Services Auction, 6:30 p.m., Adat Chaim Synagogue, Reisterstown. Tickets are $3. Call [phone].

29: Art Blooms at the Walters opens today and runs through the 31st. Artful flower arrangements from Maryland Garden Clubs, featured speakers, auctions, boutiques. Opening night party at 6; tickets $50. Call [phone], Ext. 305 for prices of other events.