Pensacola Fishing Forum - View Single Post

BananaTom · 02-08-2010, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Garbo (2/7/2010)What is your Favorite Mardi Gras Parade or Event?

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>I grew up in New Orleans area and was a member of a Krewe for many years. Mardi Gras for me was a year round event. It started one month after Mardi Gras.<o></o><o></o>Monthly meetings started occurring with planning by choosing bands to march,a Parade theme, choosing floats with their themes. Selecting a different costume each year.On Thanksgiving daywe delivered meals we cooked to those in the community inneed. <o></o><o

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>Searching and buying the best throws through out the year ($2,500.00 was my yearly budget for throws). Learning where your family and friends were going to be along the parade route.<o></o><o

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>It is one of many rules that a Krewe member may not take their mask off to reveal who they were while on the float. A $250.00 fine was imposed if you were caught by photograph. So my family would know I was on the passenger side, 4th person from the front. They would scream at me, I would notice and bomb them.<o></o><o

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>Many times I would see someone I knew and then bombed them, when they noticed, I would throw a kiss, and then raised my mask for a second, and put it back on. They would throw a kiss back.<o></o><o

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>Then as the big day approached, we had our very formal and very properball. It started at 7:00 pm in a Grand Ball Room of a chosen hotel, of which we all had rooms. The Court (King, Queen, etc)was introduced. This was very formal and presented with Royalty. <o></o><o

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>Then a formal dinner followed by dancing to a live band for several hours. My favorite part here was "Second Lining", out the Ball Room, lead by the King and the band, through the hotel, down the escalator, out into the street, and then back inside and to the ball room.<o></o><o

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>Then a formal breakfast was served, and then the second band would start or the first band knew they were going to play longer than 4 hours, if they could. The ball ended at 6-7 am.<o></o><o

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>Then the big day arrived, the day we got to "Have a good ride". This wish was presented among members with a hand shake. It took me three years of riding until I knew exactly what they meant by "Have a Good Ride".<o></o><o

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>Basically it meant to have all of your throws organized to the point that when you saw your family and friends, you could deliver the special items picked out to them, with out having someone else catch them. (Throw many items in a cast net mentality, so the crowd is covered and collecting them. While the crowd is busy with those items, let loose on the family with what you want them to catch).<o></o><o

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>It also meant to pace your throws so you did not run out, or have too much left over at the end to carry off the float. (That was a BIG No No). <o></o><o

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>It also meant to have the type of adult drinks that did not make you visit the closet toomany times, or if not,you spent all your time filling the 5 gallon bucket in there and you would miss too much of the 5 mile route.<o></o><o

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>But most of all, it meant DO NOT FALL OFF.<o></o><o

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>I would arrive at the float at 7:00 am and have help loading my throws to my given spot. Organizing them, hanging them, and knowing where they were. Then as the parade rolled for 6 - 7 hours, perform the best you can in delivering the most to the crowd. <o></o><o></o>They were 4 - 10 deep, we wanted all that came to our parade to actually go home with lots and lots of items so theywould say, "That was a good parade".<o></o><o

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>I can not say too much about Pensacola Parades, as my experience is limited. <o

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