Twelfth Night gathering to signal arrival of Carnival season

The Gulf Coast will officially change from the holiday season to Carnival season on Thursday, Jan. 5 with the celebration of Twelfth Night beginning with a 5 p.m. gathering at the Biloxi Visitors Center, followed by a parade to the Mardi Gras Museum.

“The Biloxi Visitors Center is where we began the holiday season, with the lighting of the decorations at the Biloxi Lighthouse,” said Visitors Center Manager Bill Raymond, “and this will be where we also will end the holiday season as we usher in the Carnival season.” 

The occasion also serves as a reminder of the religious significance of Carnival, often lost on the tens of thousands of revelers at Mardi Gras parades. Twelfth Night, the 12th day from Christmas, is the night before the Epiphany, the day when the three wise men visited the infant Jesus, foretelling the revelation of God the Son being born as a human.

The Twelfth Night gathering, sponsored by the City of Biloxi, Biloxi Mardi Gras Museum, and Gulf Coast Carnival Association, will begin at 5 p.m. at the Visitors Center, 1050 Beach Blvd., and at 6 p.m., the reigning Royal Court of Gulf Coast Carnival Association will be presented to extinguish the Christmas lights at the Biloxi Lighthouse.

The entourage will then board a Mardi Gras float and parade to the Mardi Gras Museum at 119 Rue Magnolia, where, at 6:30 p.m., the lights at the Mardi Gras Museum will be illuminated, signaling the beginning of Carnival season. 
See photos from Twelfth Night, 2016

 

Average numbers reported for police and construction

The Community Development Department issued 26 permits with a total valuation of just over $540,000 last week.  Meantime, the Biloxi Police Department reported 2314 calls for service, making 142 arrests.  The Biloxi Fire Department report was not available.
See the complete weekly report

 

News and notes

Weekend preview: To see the lineup of events taking place this New Year’s Eve weekend, click here.

Podcast: The “City Desk” podcast is on hiatus this week, owing to the holidays. To browse an archive of previous programs, click here.