This past weekend, Mardi Gras officially kicked off in the South with eight parades spanning from Houma to Larose.
Krewe of Hercules was the first parade to kick off this Mardi Gras season this past Friday night, as they celebrated their 30th anniversary as a krewe.
Graphic design freshman Gustavo Lopez from Mexico said, “My favorite Mardi Gras parade to go to is definitely Hercules because it is full of people, including friends of mine, who like to party their asses off and because of the loudness of different types of music.”
Houma is not the only area that saw some carnival action this weekend. Thibodaux has been remodeled with beads all over the roads and telephone lines due to their new night parade, Krewe of Ambrosia, which switched to Saturday nights three years ago.
Krewe of Ambrosia rider Sean Harvey, 22 of Houma, was charged with improper throwing of unapproved items off a float, resisting arrest and disturbing the peace due to intoxication, according to the Thibodaux Police Department.
The krewe also received another complaint that a rider from the top deck of the float bombed a baby in a stroller, and another rider super-soaked a two-year-old with a water gun.
The president of the krewe, Linda Verzwyvelt, apologized for all of the situations that have occurred in a status on the krewe’s Facebook page. “Just as in any group or organization, you will find a few members that have issues following the rules of the krewe.”
Someone commented on the status saying they should give the riders of the parade a breathalyzer test to make sure they are not drunk when getting on the float.
Business administration sophomore Chelsea Baudoin from Bayou Blue said, “The parade riders are the same every year. Mardi Gras is the same. People drink, have fun and enjoy themselves, but some people get out of hand. That is why cops are all over the place, making sure the public is safe.”
Sunday, Feb. 23, was a day to remember for the Krewe of Hyacinthians and Titans that rolled through Houma in the rain.
The Krewe of Hyacinthians board member Laurie Hamner said, “We would have preferred to have sunshine, of course, but the kids were happy and everybody was playing in the rain. All in all, it was a great day.” Along with the rain, the Krewe of Titans had $10,000 worth of beads stolen from one of their trailers, according to houmatoday.com. “The stolen beads were for the 36 kids that ride on my float, and we were all pretty sad because we did not have enough money to replace them before ride day,” krewe captain Shannon Lagendyk said. “All of our friends, families and krewe members donated some of their beads and throws to our floats, and we ended up having enough to have a wonderful day, even in the rain.”
Even though this past weekend was hectic for most of the parades, Mardi Gras will still continue. Beads, alcohol and partying will always be a part of our Mardi Gras tradition.