Mardi Gras Revelry Across the South

story by Anna McGauley Stockton

Revelers come from near and far to celebrate Mardi Gras along the Gulf Coast. The season takes place from the Epiphany, also known as the 12th night, and runs through Fat Tuesday, which is the day before Lent begins. Mardi Gras celebrations have been taking place in the United States for hundreds of years and much like the beads thrown from the floats, they come in many shapes and sizes. While you have the big Mardi Gras celebrations in places like New Orleans and Mobile, sometimes you want to celebrate on a smaller scale, with smaller crowds but with just as much fun and culture.

Mamou, Louisiana

This Cajun city in Louisiana has Mardi Gras traditions like no other, really... no! other! This city, located northwest of Lafayette, takes their Mardi Gras celebrations seriously, and I’m not cluckin’ around. Every year on Fat Tuesday, residents dress in masks and colorful clothing, jump on their horses and gather at dawn for the day’s festivities. And while I’ll take a guess that for some of the celebrants, dawn is just an extension of their night, it is all in good fun. Once gathered, the rules are announced -- no guns, no knives, absolutely NO disrespecting the dead by riding through the Mamou cemetery, and once a stop along the ride is made, you must get o your horse and dance until someone throws out a chicken. This ride will go on all day with the intention that all chickens will end up in the gumbo pot. Of course, the horseback riders are trailed behind by trucks, trailers, and the like. I mean, you can’t strap your yeti on your horse now, can you? The Fat Tuesday celebration concludes with a big street party, complete with drinking, dancing, and of course, gumbo. This is certainly one last party before everyone settles in for the Lenten season.

Lake Charles, Louisiana

Located in Southwestern Louisiana, Lake Charles loves the Mardi Gras season. Boasting three main parades, along with many more small parades, this town knows how to show visitors and locals alike a good time. The first major parade of the season is the Merchants Parade. This night parade includes floats from businesses and civic organizations. The largest parade is the traditional Krewe of Krewes parade with over 100 floats full of revelers throwing out beads to parade goers lining the streets. The last big parade is the Krewe of Barkus parade that has revelers of the four-legged variety and their people marching in a Mardi Gras pet parade fit for a king. Smaller parades, such as the Jeeps on Parade, the Children’s Parade, and the Motor Gras Parade round out this parading party place. When you’re not taking in the Mardi Gras parades in Lake Charles, you best be checking out their famous Cajun cuisine. The Mardi Gras season brings out Cajun cooking competitions like the World-Famous Cajun Extravaganza and Gumbo CookO , this music and food fest is made up of both amateur and professional teams vying for bragging rights to say they’re the best Cajun cooks in Southwestern Louisiana.

Want to stay local for Mardi Gras this year? Don’t worry, the Gulf Coast of Florida hosts some of their own Mardi Gras celebrations. Here are a few that will have you partying in the streets and catching beads, with no travel... or chickens required.

Pensacola | Milton | Pensacola Beach

Navarre

Biloxi, Mississippi

Of all the small towns along with Mississippi Gulf Coast, Biloxi has the “biggest small town” Mardi Gras celebration. The first Gulf Coast Carnival Association’s Mardi Gras parade took place there in 1908 and had 17 floats and one marching band. Now, nearly 120 years later, the Biloxi parade has around 100 floats and many other entries. Biloxi is also home to the Mississippi Gulf Coast Mardi Gras Museum that houses colorful displays full of information about the history and importance of Mardi Gras along the Gulf Coast. While the GGCA parade is the largest parade, there are plenty of others to choose from, including ones in nearby Pass Christian and Bay St. Louis. No matter where you watch the parades, it’s guaranteed Biloxi and its neighboring cities bring the party and fun to Mardi Gras with many bars and restaurants hosting Mardi Gras celebrations, especially on the biggest day of them all, Fat Tuesday!