Most people associate Mardi Gras in the US with the city of New Orleans, Louisiana.
It is true that New Orleans hosts the largest and most popular Mardi Gras, but they were not the first to celebrate the Carnival season. That honor goes to their smaller neighbor to the east: Mobile, Alabama. Mobile hosted its first Mardi Gras celebration in 1703, long before New Orleans. While New Orleans has the reputation for the largest and wildest Mardi Gras, Mobile prides itself on having a "family friendly" Mardi Gras celebration.
Beaded necklaces are the symbol of Mardi Gras. Everyone wears them, and everyone tries to get even more from the partiers on parade floats who literally toss out tons of the trinkets to onlookers as they wind their way through the downtown streets. Beyond the beads, float riders also let fly candy, toys, stuffed animals, souvenir cups and, as an appropriate salute to our southern cuisine, moon pies.
There are almost 60 parades that take place between now and Fat Tuesday (Febuary 16) between Mobile and the eastern shore of the bay. That's not counting all the live bands on street corners, and all the other family friendly activities. We're looking forward to celebrating! 
Laissez le bon temps rouler! (Let the good times roll!)
 | Ray Farnell and the Moon Pie Band - Mardi Gras In Mobile .mp3 |  |
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 | Found at bee mp3 search engine |  |
Press play on the link above to hear the entire Mardi Gras in Mobile song that Grace dances to!
It's a good time to be in Mobile, but don't expect to see any flashers, Mobile is too family friendly for that. Quite disappointing if I do say so myself. ;) I tried to get Melissa to start off the flashing, but she was having none of it!
ReplyDeleteYup, I have my own blog, not as good as yours or Melissa's, but I post the things that amuse me on here. And yay! I have another follower! I follow your blog too, I stop by when I see you've updated something.
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