Alright, so I finally decided to check out the local Mardi Gras thing this year. I live pretty close to downtown, and honestly, you hear the noise every year, see the glitter on the sidewalks for days after. Figured it was time I actually went down there myself instead of just hearing about it.
Figuring it Out
First thing, had to figure out when and where. Found the parade route and time on the city’s website pretty easily. They talked about big crowds, but yeah, I kinda brushed that off. How bad could it be, right? Spoiler: pretty bad, parking-wise. Decided walking was the only sane option.
Then, what to wear? I knew the colors were purple, green, and gold. Dug around and found an old purple t-shirt. Good enough, I thought. Didn’t buy any special beads or masks beforehand. My plan was just to catch whatever they threw from the floats. Seemed simple.
Getting Into It
Walked over about an hour before the parade start time. Wow. People were already lining the streets, setting up chairs, blankets, the whole deal. Way more people than I expected. Music was blaring from somewhere, lots of families, lots of people already wearing tons of beads. Found a spot kinda squeezed between a family with excited kids and some college students who were clearly having a good time.
The vibe was pretty cool, gotta admit. Lots of energy. People laughing, shouting hello to folks they knew. You could feel the excitement building up. Then you hear the sirens getting closer, then the drums from the first marching band. Here we go.
The Parade Experience
Floats started rolling by. It was a mix, really. Some were just trucks with company banners and people tossing candy. Others were huge, like two stories tall, all decorated, music blasting, people in costumes throwing beads, cups, moon pies, all sorts of stuff.
- Saw a float shaped like a giant dragon.
- One had a full jazz band playing on it.
- Lots of local school bands, which was nice to see.
People go crazy trying to catch throws. Yelling, waving their arms. It’s chaos, but fun chaos. I tried catching stuff, mostly fumbled it. Got hit square in the chest by a plastic cup someone else deflected. Finally managed to snag a few strings of beads – mostly the basic green and gold ones – and a weird foam football thingy. Felt like a major win, honestly.
It’s loud. Super loud. Music, shouting, sirens, everything all at once. And it’s crowded. You’re shoulder-to-shoulder in many spots. I stayed for maybe five or six big floats and a couple of bands. Saw folks with bags just overflowing with loot. Clearly, they knew what they were doing.
Heading Home
After about an hour, I’d had my fill. The crowds were getting thicker, and honestly, I’m not big on being packed in like that for too long. Plus, I had my handful of beads, my mission was accomplished, right? Walked back home against the flow of people still heading towards the parade. My ears were kinda ringing.
So, yeah, I participated. It was an experience. Definitely messy, loud, and chaotic, but also pretty fun to see everyone out celebrating. Glad I went. Would I do it again? Maybe. But next time, I’d definitely go even earlier to find a less cramped spot, or maybe find a friend’s house along the route. And maybe bring a small bag. Trying to juggle beads, your phone, and avoid tripping over kids is harder than it looks.
