Mardi Gras!

Our first ever Mardi Gras parade!

I grew up in Minnesota.  Mardi Gras was something I only associated with New Orleans.  This trip, I realized that Mardi Gras is something that is celebrated much more broadly than in NOLA.  In fact, Mobile, Alabama says that it was the first place to celebrate Mardi Gras in the United States, starting in 1703 when Mobile was the capital of Louisiana (and 15 years before New Orleans was founded)!

Around here, it appears that every town has a Mardi Gras celebration.  In looking at the tourist information, at least one major parade was listed every day for two weeks running, and many days had several large parades.

The one I most wanted to go to was the Illuminated Parade in Pensacola the evening of February 9.  I wanted to see all floats in lights – as well as the carnival atmosphere – for my first Mardi Gras. 

Young spectators

Older spectators

  I absolutely LOVED my first parade.  I didn't know that spectators were to dress in costume, too - or I would have found something costume-like to wear!

While here I also learned about Krewes.  A krewe is any group of revelers who band together to host a ball, make and ride on a parade float, and participate in social and/or charitable events throughout the year.  And, in Pensacola, there are krewes of this and krewes of that.  I loved the names. Here’s a sampling: Krewe of Left Feet, Krewe De Gumbeaux, Krewe du YaYas, Krewe of Bowlegs, Krewe of Anarchy and Krewe of Bad Habits. (I am sure the last one must be a bunch of nuns!)

Krewe of Lafitte

Lafitte Admiral, I guess

Friday night’s parade was sponsored by the Krewe ­­­­of Lafitte.  They dress in full pirate regalia.  But, there was simply an explosion of floats.  Forty-four floats were in this parade.  Some were pirate ships, but others were not. There was a Wizard of Oz Krewe all in appropriate garb, and Krewe du Great Gatsby had women in flapper costumes, and the YaYas were there in pink and black.  

Great Gatsby women, throwing beads

Dragon float

Float detail

Scary float

Krewe du Ya Ya float's huge front

YaYa Krewe member

And, then there are the throws.  People along the route are whistling, jumping up and down and/or yelling: “Throw me something, mista.”  And, throw the people on the floats did.  They threw more beads than candy at the parades up north.  And, they didn't throw only beads.  They threw cup cozies, moon pies, small toys, plastic cups, key chains and more.  I especially liked it when parade marchers would single me out to come place the beads around my neck.   

I have beads

I was so worried I wouldn’t get any beads.  But we did just fine, ending up with 67 necklaces of all colors, lengths and shapes.  Jim estimates that all together they weighed over ten pounds!  

Ten pounds of beads!

So much fun.  Laissez les bons temps rouler!