Saturday, February 26, 2011

Mardi Gras Started in Mobile, Not Naw'lins

Mardi Gras in the United States did not start in New Orleans as many think, but rather in Mobile, Alabama in 1703.

It was revived after the Civil War when Joe Cain, fed-up with postwar misery led an impromptu parade down city states..

There are crowds, but nowhere near as bad as you find in that other city. It lasts for two and a half weeks before Fat Tuesday in Mobile and throughout Mobile County. There are colorful floats manned by masked mystic societies with plenty of beads and party fun. Only, this is more family-orientated than some of the stuff that happens in that other place.

There is also a Mobile Carnival Museum at 355 Government Street and a Toomey's Mardi Gras Store with two locations. www.toomeys-mardigras.com.

Last Saturday, we enjoyed the Mardi Gras parade in Panama City, Florida and are planning to go over to the one at St. Andrew's later today.

Love My Mardi Gras. --Cooter

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