The City of Hattiesburg partnered with the Krewe of St. Catherine, the Krewe of Lumiere and Mardi Gras Mambo Downtown Pub Crawl to announce a line-up of Mardi Gras festivities slated for the Hub City.
“By existing as a cultural crossroads and hub for much of the Gulf South region, we enjoy our own flavor of the carnival season,” said Mayor Toby Barker. “From the earliest krewes in Hattiesburg like the Mystic Krewe of Zeus and the Krewe of Elks, to the home-grown parades at Sacred Heart Catholic School, to multiple days off for students at The University of Southern Mississippi, to the king cakes at Jody’s and Loblolly along with numerous public and private events, Mardi Gras in Hattiesburg is steeped in creativity and fun for all ages.”
Friday, February 6 at 6:30 p.m. - Fourth Annual Krewe of St. Catherine Parade
Cofounders of the Krewe of St. Catherine, Ginger Lowrey and Rebecca Chandler, created a tradition with their walking parade through downtown Hattiesburg in 2022. The parade only allows human-powered movement, creating a unique and interactive experience. This year’s theme is, “Off the Rails: Trains! Trains! Trains!” inspired by their namesake- St. Catherine, the patron saint of railway workers.
The parade will begin at the Rebekah Stark Johnson Community Art Center, located at 825 Main Street, and will march down Main Street until making a left onto Front Street, will then make another left onto Mobile Street and will finish at a block party at The Ruins, located at 207 Mobile Street. Krewes and sponsorships are still being accepted, so visit kreweofstcatherine.com for more information on registration and how to get involved.
Saturday, February 7 at 12 p.m. - Third Annual Mardi Gras Mambo Downtown Pub Crawl
The Mardi Gras Mambo features a unique journey through the restaurants and establishments throughout downtown, which will feature signature Mardi Gras themed cocktails and dishes from ten different locally owned and operated establishments. Participating locations include Southern Prohibition, The Porter, Blu Jazz Café, The Mockingbird, Grill and Grocery, Fairley’s Wings, Bourbon on Front, Hattiesburgers and Blues, Trattoria Pizzeria and Nellie’s Chicken and Daiquiris.
Participants receive a t-shirt, souvenir cup and crawl card to complete along their journey across downtown. The event also includes a stroll down Front Street with the Big Boy Brass Band at 3:30 p.m. This year, the organization is introducing a Krewe contest. Groups of four or more can register as a Krewe and sport their best Mardi Gras apparel to compete for the title of Best Krewe, which boasts the prize of a Dong Phuong king cake fresh from New Orleans.
For tickets and more information, visit their website at blu-jazz.com.
Friday, February 13 at 7 p.m. Third Annual Krewe of Lumiere Mardi Gras Scholarship Ball
The Krewe of Lumiere and the Good Vibe Foundation will host their third annual Mardi Gras Scholarship Ball at Lake Terrace Convention Center. This year’s event will feature the Southern Comfort Brass Band, DJ Pretty Peach and the founder of the event, DJ Kujho. The ball and foundation benefits the Pathway to Progress Scholarships for seniors at Hattiesburg High School. For tickets and more information about the event, visit kujho.com.
