For some, festival fun never fades; Others skip parades for a getaway.
For some, festival fun never fades
Many St. Charles voices will be heard over the next few weeks, rising above the crowd and yelling “throw me something, mister!”
Mardi Gras is a holiday that sets the greater New Orleans area apart from the rest of the country and thousands of residents will flock to the streets to watch the nearly non-stop parades.
Nancy Wilson’s Hahnville family looks forward to Mardi Gras each year.
Her husband and son join the Italian American Club for a parade in Baton Rouge each year while her daughter, Charlena Thornton rides with the Krewe of Muses and spends days leading up to the parade glittering dozens of shoes. The family even flies in a cousin who is a Dominican Priest each year for the holiday.
Thornton’s husband, Jim, dresses up as Elvis in a well-known marching group that is part of many local parades. Even their 2-year-old son, Charlie, dons his homemade Elvis costume for the holiday – pictured at left.
“They have a good time in the streets dressed for Mardi Gras,” Wilson said.
For many, like Wilson and Thornton, Mardi Gras is the greatest time of year to live in Louisiana.
Luling resident William DeBruler also enjoys the holiday. His celebration draws a crowd when he and his friends get together for Mardi Gras.
His group has rented an apartment on St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans each year since 1988 to cook out and watch the parades pass by. And not time or kids or the lure of other trips could stop DeBruler and his friends from their annual tradition.
“I’m a local guy and my kids were born and raised on Mardi Gras so they actually have been the motivation for me to do it the last few years,” DeBruler said. “We have gone to Disney and stuff, but my kids would rather be in New Orleans for Mardi Gras.”
The group of locals cooks jambalaya or barbecues and usually draws a crowd of more than 200 people to their get-together.
“It’s just a chance to reconnect with people who you only see once a year,” DeBruler said.
For those wanting to stay in the parish for the holiday, the Krewe of Lul will celebrate its 35th anniversary when it rolls from the Winnwood Shopping Center on Feb. 18 at noon. Down the highway, the Krewe of Des Allemands will roll on Feb. 19 at 1 p.m. on its traditional route.
Others skip parades for a getaway
Some lifelong residents of St. Charles cannot wait to hit the road when the Mardi Gras crowds roll in. From finding parking to finding bathrooms, hitting up the parades can be a hassle.
For those who have had enough of the tourists and beads, Mardi Gras week is a great time to head out of town for vacation.
Ann and Don Montgomery of Destrehan often pack their bags when the holiday comes around.
“I enjoy going to a parade or two during the Mardi Gras season, but my husband can do without ALL of it,” Ann said. “So I am always ready to travel when the opportunity arises.”
This year, the Montgomery’s will head to Sedona, Ariz. For a week to enjoy the scenery at Coconino National Forest. The trip will include viewing rock formations, hiking, sightseeing, shopping and relaxing.
In the past, the couple has gone skiing in Colorado and traveled with family to Washington D.C. and Williamsburg, Va. during Mardi Gras.
Julia Perrier of Luling also likes to get away during Carnival. This year, she and her son will head out on a Mexican cruise to Progresso and Cozumel with nearly 100 other St. Charles residents.
Perrier said that growing up near the Big Easy has burnt her out on the festivities each spring. She said it’s also a good opportunity to travel without hitting big crowds in other areas of the country.
“I’ve had my share of Mardi Gras,” Perrier said. “It’s a good time to travel because nobody else is out for Mardi Gras – the rest of the country is working.”
Like the Montgomery’s, Perrier’s family has enjoyed numerous skiing vacations during the Mardi Gras holidays, including trips to California and Colorado, but they do not entirely miss the festivities back home. She is pictured at right with her husband, Craig.
“We do some parades before we go, so we get a little taste of it,” she said.
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