The City of Biloxi, the Mardi Gras Museum, and Gulf Coast Carnival Association invite children ages 12 and younger to participate in the annual children’s Mardi Gras walking parade, which will be Feb. 3.
This is a non-motorized parade. Bikes, skates, skateboards, scooters and wagons are acceptable. Children are encouraged to be creative and dress in costumes and decorate their bikes, wagons, etc.
Theme for this year’s parade will be “Circus World.”
The parade will begin at 10 a.m. at the I-110 overpass on Howard Avenue. It will continue east on Howard Avenue through the Vieux Marche Mall and turn south on Lameuse Street, ending at the Town Green, where the Parks and Recreation Department will provide free refreshments and conduct a coast and float contest with trophies and cash prizes.
Participants should arrive at 9 a.m. A limited amount of throws will be available for the children. Children are encouraged bring additional throws. Parents and guardians are welcome to walk with the children.
Children 9 years old and younger must have a parent/guardian walk with them.
To print a form to register for the parade, click here.
Completed applications must be returned in to the Events Office in the Creole Cottage across from City Hall on Lameuse Street or at the parade Saturday morning. You may fax it to (228) 435-6340 or mail it to Kay Miller, City of Biloxi, P.O. Box 429, Biloxi, MS. 39533.
Details: Kay Miller, via e-mail at kmiller@biloxi.ms.us or (228) 435-6339.
Mardi Gras Day: One big parade in two parts
Biloxi will host one Mardi Gras Day parade again this year – down from three of pre-Katrina years – but organizers report that it will be a huge parade in two parts since the Krewe of Neptune is returning this year.
Representatives of key city departments met last week with organizers from Gulf Carnival Association and Neptune to review plans for this year’s parade, which rolls through downtown Biloxi at 1 p.m. on Feb. 20, Mardi Gras Day.
“We expect about 100 units or more, just like last year, compared to the 60 or so we saw in the pre-Katrina day parades,” said Captain of Carnival Jerry Munro. “It’s one parade in two back-to-back parts, with Gulf Coast Carnival followed immediately by the Krewe of Neptune.”
Neptune, which did not roll last year, is expected to have 10 floats in this year’s parade.
Gulf Coast Carnival — which in 99 years has seen its Mardi Gras parades sidelined only in times of world war or in the Depression era — is still accepting entries for this year’s parade. Floats have a $50 entry fee, and those displaying names of sponsors face a $300 fee. (Details: 432-8806 or gccamg@aol.com) Deadline to register is Feb. 7.
The city last year, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, scaled back the number of Mardi Gras Day parades from three to one because of the demand on public safety and Public Works employees, and because access to downtown is limited to the I-110 bridge.
“We realize that people are looking for the day when we’re able to return to three parades on Mardi Gras Day, and we’ll get there, but we’re not quite there yet,” Mayor A.J. Holloway said. “Public safety continues to be the primary concern, and we want people to be able to get in and out of the city in a timely manner, which is impossible without the U.S. 90 bridge between Biloxi and Ocean Springs.”
To see the route for the Feb. 20 parade, click here.
The Children’s Mardi Gras Walking Parade will make its way through downtown Biloxi on Feb. 3. Organizers are seeking registrants for that parade now.
To read more about the parade and sign up, click here.
The city is also providing special seating for the frail and elderly on the Town Green on Mardi Gras Day. To read more about this service and how to sign up, click here.
