A look at Mardi Gras 2017
Make It Mobile
If you think you know Mardi Gras, you don't . . . well, not unless you know that the first celebration in the United States happened in . . . Mobile, Alabama, not New Orleans. It has been an intense debate over the years, but history doesn't lie. It was the first recorded celebration in the western hemisphere, according to Craig Roberts, historian and lover of all things Mobile. Granted New Orleans does it quite well, but after experiencing the hoopla in Mobile for an entire week, well, I can't imagine it being done any better. Whether you're a Mardi Gras Virgin (yes, that's a thing) or not, parades, food and laughter consume the entire town. Women, men and children pour into the streets (most parade routes are closed to vehicles by 5 p.m.), eyeing the perfect souvenir, balancing their beer of choice and scouring the balconies for the residents who eventually will toss beads their way, hoping the baubles will land around their necks instead of in the tree branches. There is no time frame, no 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. for the festivities; it's all day, every day. There's no beginning or ending; however, there is a schedule.
High above the streets at the historic Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel, our little mob had a birds-eye view, night after night as parades made their way down Royal Street. It was once called Mobile's living room. If you get the opportunity, seek out Mr. George, the Battle House historian, who can tell stories about when Andrew Jackson stayed at the hotel. There's a few ghost stories, too.
Now, the parades. Each one is in honor of a particular mystic society, a carnival social organization, and each year, a different theme. Currently, there are 77 mystic societies in Mobile with hundreds more within 60 miles. During Carnival season, they parade in costumes, on top of floats, throwing trinkets like beads, whistles, stuffed animals, fake flowers, and if you're in Mobile, the beloved Moon Pie. Singular pies or by the box, it makes no never mind. By the box tends to leave bruises, but who cares. You must catch whatever is thrown at all costs. As amazing as the parade was the clean-up. Within seconds of the last float, Mobile's cleaning crew sweeps in, and after five minutes, there was little evidence of the frivolity that just happened.
After the parade, many societies hold annual balls (with a dress code) where men are dashing in white tie and tails and women, dressed to sparkles and gems. Many are by invitation only; some sell tickets to guests. To see the train donned by the queen is worth getting all dolled up. If you can't get invited, visit the Mobile Carnival Museum, for each and every one is on display.
Our inaugural parade, Mystic Stripers Parade. It was founded in 1939 by six men, one of whom owned Imperial Laundry. It cleaned prison suits, and it just made sense they wear stripes! "Let's make use of some of the convict suits!" If you have a penchant for fire breathing dragons, Mystics of Time (MOT) won't disappoint. Always the Saturday before Mardi Gras, it's one of the most popular. Formed in 1948, a group of poker playing friends started the conversation of beginning a new group; days later, they bumped into more friends who wanted the same, and MOT was formed.
However, if you want to become a player in the party, it's the Joe Cain Parade. No fancy floats or fire breathing anything. Most people walk and everyone is welcome. No membership required. Whether fact or fiction, the story of Joe Cain goes back to the mid-1800s when he began his one man show dressed as an Indian chief, acquiring the name Slackabamirimico. The next year, he did the same, and the children began following him around Mobile. Given, there are as many variations to his story as wives and mistresses. Nevertheless, he is the one who is credited for getting the party started. Before the yearly Joe Cain parade, hundreds visit his graveside at Church Street Cemetery in downtown Mobile. Whether it's to pay their respects or watch the mourning widows (Cain's Merry Widows all dressed in black with veils to disguise their identities) and grieving mistresses (Mistresses of Joe Cain wearing large hats dressed entirely in bright red) take a whack at one another is yet another mystery. To the widows, they scream, "He loved us best."
Get lost in the magic of Mardi Gras! This year, the parades began on January 26 and will continue until Fat Tuesday, February 13. Here's the 2018 schedule if you're heading south.
High above the streets at the historic Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel, our little mob had a birds-eye view, night after night as parades made their way down Royal Street. It was once called Mobile's living room. If you get the opportunity, seek out Mr. George, the Battle House historian, who can tell stories about when Andrew Jackson stayed at the hotel. There's a few ghost stories, too.
Now, the parades. Each one is in honor of a particular mystic society, a carnival social organization, and each year, a different theme. Currently, there are 77 mystic societies in Mobile with hundreds more within 60 miles. During Carnival season, they parade in costumes, on top of floats, throwing trinkets like beads, whistles, stuffed animals, fake flowers, and if you're in Mobile, the beloved Moon Pie. Singular pies or by the box, it makes no never mind. By the box tends to leave bruises, but who cares. You must catch whatever is thrown at all costs. As amazing as the parade was the clean-up. Within seconds of the last float, Mobile's cleaning crew sweeps in, and after five minutes, there was little evidence of the frivolity that just happened.
After the parade, many societies hold annual balls (with a dress code) where men are dashing in white tie and tails and women, dressed to sparkles and gems. Many are by invitation only; some sell tickets to guests. To see the train donned by the queen is worth getting all dolled up. If you can't get invited, visit the Mobile Carnival Museum, for each and every one is on display.
Our inaugural parade, Mystic Stripers Parade. It was founded in 1939 by six men, one of whom owned Imperial Laundry. It cleaned prison suits, and it just made sense they wear stripes! "Let's make use of some of the convict suits!" If you have a penchant for fire breathing dragons, Mystics of Time (MOT) won't disappoint. Always the Saturday before Mardi Gras, it's one of the most popular. Formed in 1948, a group of poker playing friends started the conversation of beginning a new group; days later, they bumped into more friends who wanted the same, and MOT was formed.
However, if you want to become a player in the party, it's the Joe Cain Parade. No fancy floats or fire breathing anything. Most people walk and everyone is welcome. No membership required. Whether fact or fiction, the story of Joe Cain goes back to the mid-1800s when he began his one man show dressed as an Indian chief, acquiring the name Slackabamirimico. The next year, he did the same, and the children began following him around Mobile. Given, there are as many variations to his story as wives and mistresses. Nevertheless, he is the one who is credited for getting the party started. Before the yearly Joe Cain parade, hundreds visit his graveside at Church Street Cemetery in downtown Mobile. Whether it's to pay their respects or watch the mourning widows (Cain's Merry Widows all dressed in black with veils to disguise their identities) and grieving mistresses (Mistresses of Joe Cain wearing large hats dressed entirely in bright red) take a whack at one another is yet another mystery. To the widows, they scream, "He loved us best."
Get lost in the magic of Mardi Gras! This year, the parades began on January 26 and will continue until Fat Tuesday, February 13. Here's the 2018 schedule if you're heading south.
From Shrimp PO Boys at The Blind Mule (its shrimp and grits is on Alabama's 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before you Die) to the Mobile's favorite beignet at Panini Petes, Mardi Gras food is not easy on the waist line! Be prepared for some of the best food on the planet; it's never a better time to take part commit to the Joe Cain Parade to walk off the calories. Other dining options include Chef Steve Zucker at Dauphins, a dressy affair which sits high atop the Moon Pie building with a breathtaking view of Mobile Bay; A Spot of Tea in downtown Mobile (Eggs Cathedral and Bananas Foster, also on the 100 Dishes to Eat) and attempt to end your meal whether it be breakfast or lunch with the Moon Pie Banana Pudding; Kitchen on George, locally sourced foods and a Bloody Mary that is a must; and Cream & Sugar Cafe for amazing pastries and coffee and even better people behind the counter!
Wintzell's Oyster House
Fried, stewed and nude. That's right. Also on the 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama, oysters have put Winzell's on the map since 1938. Sure, Oprah is wild about the West Indies Salad (jumbo lump crabmeat, chopped onion and spices, blended and marinated in oil and vinegar for 24 hours AND it is yummy), but its the photos of beauty queens and aphorisms ("Rockefeller never ate here. He couldn't pay our prices.") that cover the walls and the Bloody Mary's that spice up the morning that continues to draw the crowds. Don't miss the shucker who nears 100 years these days. Still at it after all these years. 605 Dauphin St., Mobile.
Parades
As on New Year's Eve, the Moon Pie drops, signaling the start of the parade!
Joe Cain Parade
Joe Cain is considered the founder of Mardi Gras in Mobile. Referred to as the people's parade, the parade weaves its way throughout the city of Mobile and it can last up to three hours. I don't know the exact length, but I do know my FitBit blew up around seven miles. Earning rock star status as a thrower of beads and Moon Pies, I now get what it feels like to on this giving end of baubles, which in the big scheme of things, mean nothing yet mean everything. Definitely a Bucket List item. And for sure, it will wear you slap out.
Meet Me At The Cemetery
The morning before the parade, you must pay your respects to Joe Cain. Legend says that when Cain died, a group of women showed up at his funeral, all claiming to be his wife. This morning, the widows all show up again, claiming the same, covered in black protecting their identities. They throw black beads, the most treasured and coveted of all catches. In the more recent years, the group in red - Joe Cain's mistresses - have attempted to steal the show. The latest group, the misters, who claim to be Cain's lovers as well.
And on his headstone reads "Here lies old Joe Cain | the heart and soul of Mardi Gras in Mobile"
And on his headstone reads "Here lies old Joe Cain | the heart and soul of Mardi Gras in Mobile"
Behind The Scenes
You just assume the floats come per-assembled. Standing on the parade route, not a thought enters your mind as to how these creations actually came about. It is undoubtedly a family affair where multiple generations take on the task of loading a warehouse full of floats with thousands of strands of beads and boxes of Moon Pies. The Mystics of Time assemblers consider it pre-party!
The Balls
Our group was lucky enough to score a ticket to the Mystics of Time Ball. With ankle length frock and white tie and tails (the official dress code), we watched a presentation for the ages. Upwards of 5,000 people, all dressed to the nines, made their way into Mobile Convention Center where the food and drink flowed. Many remain shrouded behind masks in at attempt to keep their identity secret. At the MOT ball, Queen Victoria Maureen Ball sits alongside Father Time, who is selected by members based on his service to the organization; the queen is usually an unmarried relative of Father Time.
Only two societies have public coronations: Mobile Carnival Association and the Mobile Area Mardi Gras Association (MAMGA) MAMGA held its first parade in 1939 and presented its first royal court in 1940. The African-American society has their own king and queen. Here His Royal Highness King Elexis I stands before the assembly. Traditions of the decades-old society run deep. As each young child and young adult is introduced, a resume of of achievement is read. You hear institution names like Auburn and LSU and honors like Magna Cum Laude. You are definitely in the presence of royalty.
Never Be a Mardi Gras Virgin Again
Traveler's NOTE: Although attending Mardi Gras was never high on my list of travels, I can confidently say, it was an adventure that I will never forget. Such a marvelous town! Mobile's Southern hospitality was impeccable. Traditions, impressive and humbling. The food, scrumptious. The joy, immeasurable. The best moment - walking in the Joe Cain parade. That will forever be Mardi Gras to me.
