Officials from the City of Hattiesburg are ready to “laissez les bons temps rouler,” with an upcoming slate of events to celebrate the Mardi Gras season.
“For centuries, Mardi Gras has been a societal staple in the Gulf South,” Barker said. “From its origins in New Orleans and Mobile (Alabama), Carnival season brings a celebration of culture and community.
“We are fortunate, as the geographic hub for much of that Gulf South, to enjoy our own flavor of that Carnival season. Mardi Gras in Hattiesburg is steeped in creativity and fun for all ages. Furthermore, in a fashion characteristic with this city, we see new traditions that further amplify that Carnival state of mind.”
Those events include:
- The Krewe of St. Catherine second annual Roll and Stroll Parade and Block Party, 7 p.m. February 2 throughout downtown Hattiesburg. With the theme of “Rock & Roll Stroll,” this year’s event will honor the culture of live music in downtown. It will feature hand-made throws, costumes and sub-krewe names. For more information, visit the Facebook event page.
- Mardi Gras Mambo Pub Crawl, 1 p.m. February 3 at Front and Main streets. This inaugural event, hosted by Hub City Eats, will visit locations such as Southern Prohibition, Fairley’s Wings and Trattoria, among others. Attendees can enjoy King Cake, mixed drinks, beer, live music and more. The event is ticketed. For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page.
- Carnaval Brasileiro presented by MS Latinx Association, 8 p.m. February 3, 309 Mcleod Street, Hattiesburg. This event will celebrate Brazilian culture and entertainment and will offer samba, colorful costumes and music. For more information, visit www.mslatinxart.com/carnaval.
- Mardi Gras Scholarship Ball hosted by the Krewe of Lumiere and The Good Vibe Foundation, 7 p.m. February 9 at Lake Terrace Convention Center. This event is sold out.
- Hattiesburg Caerus Mardi Gras Parade, 4 p.m. February 10. The parade route will travel along Hardy Street in front of the University of Southern Mississippi to North 39th Avenue. For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page.
Additional information on all the above events can be found at www.hattiesburgms.com/mardigras.
“The bottom line for all these events, and for the whole season, is this: this is not simply another party in Hattiesburg,” Barker said. “It’s the idea that we live in the cradle of so much diverse culture – genres of food, literature, music and life – a lot of stuff the rest of the country and world enjoy was born right here.
“So let’s do our part in acknowledging and celebrating that way of life and that legacy. The strength of our city exists in the passion, diversity, talent and work ethic of our people. When a business owner or a resident puts themselves out there, tries something new or creates a new tradition for the benefit of everyone else, we should show up for that.”
