Fat Tuesday may not be until the 13th, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start the celebration early. In Mobile, Alabama, where Mardi Gras festivities kick off, parade krewes have already started celebrating. Even if you can’t make it to New Orleans, there’s plenty of fun to be had along the Emerald Coast.
Read on to find out more about Destin’s Mardi Gras celebration and what to expect once you’re there.
Mardi Gras Masquerade in Destin
The best Mardi Gras celebration along the Emerald Coast takes place on Friday, Feb. 9 at the Destin Commons. This evening full of family fun will take place from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m.
Guests will enjoy lively entertainment provided by Mr. Big and the Rhythm Sisters. There will also be an authentic Mardi Gras street brass band playing throughout the shopping center.
Since this is a family-friendly event, there will be plenty of activities for children. Kids will be able to craft their very own festive Mardi Gras accessories. Along with crafting, there will be face painting. Combined together, these kids activities will make for the best looking masques outside of New Orleans!
Beginning at 7 p.m., you’ll be able to watch a non-stop lineup of more than 30 floats and parade marchers. There will be plenty of Mardi Gras throws, including treasures, trinkets, and beads.
You might also like: The Best Indoor Activities Along the Emerald Coast
History of the Mardi Gras Tradition
The history of Mardi Gras goes way beyond the New Orleans roots that we associate with it today. The first traces of Mardi Gras celebration dates back to medieval Europe, where it later passed through Rome and Venice, then to the French House of the Bourbons. The French carried this tradition with them to the Americas, leaving a particularly strong trace of it in Fort Louis de la Louisiane, which is now Mobile, Alabama.
In 1718, the City of New Orleans was established, and it was just a few years later in 1730 that Mardi Gras began to be celebrated openly in the city. It transformed from a simple celebration to a “carnival,” according to the oldest surviving documentation. It continued to grow until the late 19th century when parade krewes were the Mardi Gras norm and the first ever throws were recorded as being used. To add to the hype, newspapers began printing special Mardi Gras editions and announcing the schedule of festivities ahead of time.
It’s not just tradition that keeps Mardi Gras alive in New Orleans – it’s the law. Governor Henry Warmouth of Louisana signed into law in 1876 the “Mardi Gras Act,” officially naming Fat Tuesday a legal holiday for the state.
Lee Nissan FWB
This Friday, laissez les bons temps rouler, then plan a trip to Lee Nissan in Fort Walton Beach. Our specials are so good, they deserve a celebration of their own!
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