Mardi Gras Archive
1999-2009


 

Note: I retired in May 2009, so this page will no longer be updated. I have kept the 2009 schedule below as an archival reference.  –David Simpson, LSUE

 

Click below to go to Digital Photos for Each Year

2007   2006   2005   2004   2003   2002   2001   2000   1999

 

Links and Schedules

Information for 2009: Archive
The schedule below shows the kinds of activities that typically
are part of Mardi Gras in Rural Acadiana. Try the links
given above for current information.

2009 Basile:  According to The Basile Weekly, the children's run will be on Sunday, Feb. 22. The adult run will depart at 7 a.m. Mardi Gras Day from the Town Park (near the water tower).  Street dance 2-5 p.m. on Main Street, music by Pain Perdu.  The Mardi Gras typically arrive about 3 p.m.  Awards will be presented from the stage. 

2009 Church Point: As usual, the children's run will be on Saturday (Feb. 21) and the adult run and parade on Sunday (Feb. 22).  This year, Church Point will have a Mardi Gras Festival at the Parc de Depot, with carnival rides, food, and bands on Feb. 20, Robert Sonnier; Feb. 21, Jr. Melancon and Damon Troy; Feb. 22, Felton LeJeune and Dustin Ray. Check out the official web site for specific times and other details. Go to the Church Point Mardi Gras Web Page for complete information.

2009 Crowley: Carnival d'Acadie begins Feb. 22 (2-10 p.m.) at the Crowley Enterprise Grounds on North Parkerson Ave. On Feb. 23, (3-11 p.m.) the bands will be Krossfyre, 6:30-9 p.m., and Travis Matte, 9:30-11 p.m. On Feb. 22 (10 a.m.-7 p.m.), the band will be Jamie Bergeron, 12:30-3 p.m., and J. Paul Jr., 4-7 p.m. The Grand Parade will be held at 3 p.m.

2009 Duralde: The Duralde/L'Anse Maigre Search and Rescue Squad Annual Mardi Gras run begins at 7 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, at Lakeview Park on Highway 13 north of Eunice (note the new location for the start of the run).  Participants must be at least 17 years old. Wagons will be provided for those without horses. Food and refreshments are included in the $25 ticket price. FMI Marcel at 337-580-4344 or David at 546-0180 or Gerald at 457-1724.  Meetings will be held at the W.C. Read Fire Station (located on Highway 13 just north of the Duralde Highway turnoff) at 6 p.m. Feb. 6 and 6 p.m. Feb. 20. 

2009 Elton:  According to the Basile Weekly, the Elton Mardi Gras will leave at 8:00 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, from the Coushatta Tribe Recreational Facility heading toward Elton.  They are scheduled to arrive on Main Street at 3 p.m.  Afterwards, the "danse de Mardi Gras" will be held at the Elton Town Park.  The Mardi Gras run is open to males ages 18 to 20 with a consenting adult. and those 21 and over. They must be fully dressed in traditional attire with face cover. All riders must be present by 6:30 a.m. the morning of the run. All riders can and should sign up the night before at the Elton Town Park starting at 6:00 pm. Riders must bring identification/driver's license for sign up.

2009 Eunice: The City of Eunice Mardi Gras Schedule has been posted. 

      Highlights include:

  • The adult courir will start at the Northwest Community Center at 8 a.m. Mardi Gras Day and follow the 2008 route. It will go down Samuel Drive and around Dresser Loop to the Old Basile Road (Highway 757) turning onto Soileau Road to Highway 29, which will take the run back to Eunice and the parade downtown at 3 p.m. Riders will exit Park Boulevard on 12th Street to return to the Northwest Community Center, where gumbo will be served to registered runners 4-6 p.m. Registration is $30. Limit of 40 private trailers, plus16 trailers provided by the Mardi Gras Association available on a first come, first served basis. Pre-registration for runners and trailers Feb. 14 and Feb. 21,  9 a.m.-1 p.m. at City Hall. Registration at the Northwest Community Center Mardi Gras Day 6-8 a.m.  Everyone must be at least 18 years old. Everyone must register in person and have a picture ID. FMI: Mayor's Office at 457-7389 or the Eunice Chamber of Commerce, 457-2565.

  • LeJeune Mardi Gras Run Saturday courir is for teenagers 13-17. Participants will assemble in front of the National Guard Armory on Maple Avenue starting at 8 a.m. Feb. 21. The run starts at 9 a.m., heading east toward Savoy.  Registration the day of the run is $20 ($10 early registration through Feb. 18 at the Eunice Mayor's Office). No alcoholic beverages allowed. Parade at 3 p.m. down Second Street to Park Avenue.  FMI: Mayor's Office at 457-7389 or Barry Soileau, 546-0613.

  • As in the past, the Children's Courir and the Boucherie will be held Sunday (Feb. 22).  This year, the children's run (ages 12 and under) will depart at 9 a.m. from the Recreational Complex, 461 Sittig Road. Registration fee the day of the run is $15 ($7 early registration through Feb. 18 at the Eunice Mayor's Office). No alcoholic beverages. Parade at 3 p.m. down Second St. from Magnolia Ave. on way back to Recreational Complex. FMI: Mayor's Office at 457-7389 or Robert Johnson, 457-6554.

  • The Jambalaya Cajun Band  will perform at the Liberty Theater 6-7:30 p.m. Saturday night, Feb. 21. The show will also include a visit from the Basile Mardi Gras.

  • The Friday night street band will be Mike Dean, James Dupre and Friends. Fred Charlie and the Acadiana Cajuns (including Jason Babineaux from Houston and guest musicians) will be on the street Saturday afternoon, followed by Jesse Lege and Joel Savoy and Friends Saturday night. On Sunday, Joel Martin and da Classics with Charlo will play at the Old Time Boucherie (boucherie starts at 10 a.m. in front of City Hall, music 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.). Briggs Brown and the Bayou Classics will be at the Walnut and Second stage. The Monday afternoon street band will be Carl Hollier and Cajun Hot. Jr. Melancon will be on the street Monday night.  On Tuesday, the main stage will feature Don Fontenot, Paul Daigle, and Steve Riley.  Check the Eunice Mardi Gras Schedule for other street bands and jam sessions.

  • Nick's on 2nd will have a jam session on Thursday; Felton LeJeune and the Cajun Cowboys on Friday; Travis Matte and the Kingpins on Saturday; Kyle Huval and the Dixie Club Ramblers 5 p.m. Sunday; Don Fontenot et Les Amis de la Louisiane 8 p.m. Monday evening; and Horace Trahan, 11;30 a.m. Mardi Gras Day; Geno Delafose at 6 p.m. after the Mardi Gras Courir/Parade on Mardi Gras Day.  Note that the Nick's schedule has been revised.  Horace Trahan is now scheduled at 11:30 a.m. Mardi Gras Day. Paul Daigle will not perform Monday evening, only Don Fontenot.

  • The Council on Aging Mardi Gras Dance, open to everyone, will be 1-3:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 23, at the Northwest Community Center in Eunice, $5 for anyone under 60, $1 for those 60 or older. Gumbo will be sold. Judging of most traditional, prettiest costumes, best male and female dancers, Mardi Gras King and Queen. Music will be provided by Guyland Leday and his Family and Friends Zydeco Band. Guyland is an extraordinary young accordion player who performed at Carnegie Hall and has been on national television shows.

2009 Grand Prairie:  Registration will be Sunday, February 22, at the old W.D. Grocery Store in Grand Prairie from 6 to 9 a.m. Registration fee is $20 per person. All participants will be issued a bracelet by the association, and anyone caught without the bracelet will be removed from the ride.The ride will leave at approximately 9 a.m. For more details, including new rules that will be enforced, see the story in the Ville Platte Gazette.

2009 Grand Marais: As announced in the Jennings Daily News, "The Grand Marais Mardi Gras run will be held in Jennings on Saturday, Feb. 21, from 9 a.m. until the start of the Mardi Gras Parade. A second run will be held in Panchoville on Sunday, Feb. 22. All money and ingredients gathered during the run will go toward the Mardi Gras gumbo to be held at the Jennings VFW starting at 7 p.m. Admission is $5 with live music. The gumbo is free. All leftover money will be donated to St. Jude's and the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. For more information, call Thomas Deshotel at (337) 764-1148."

2009 Iota: Tee-Mamou-Iota Mardi Gras Folklife Festival will be held on Feb. 24.  For details, including the 2009 band schedule, go to  the festival web site: Tee Mamou-Iota Mardi Gras. Bands include Briggs Brown and the Bayou Cajuns (9-11 a.m.), Frank Family Band (11 a.m.-1 p.m.), Scotty Pousson and the Point aux Loups Playboys (1-3 p.m.), Jason Frey and Lagniappe (3-5 p.m.). The Tee-Mamou Mardi Gras will parade through town at 2:30 and be on the stage at 3 p.m. Earlier, Les Tout Petite Mardi Gras will perform on the stage.

2009 Jennings: 17th annual Mardi Gras Parade, 4:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 21; T Broussard and the Zydeco Steppers perform 5:30-8 p.m. at Founders Park.  Music Unlimited will be on stage at Founder's Park 1-4 p.m. Earlier in the day, the fourth annual Squeezebox Cajun Accordion Championship will be held at noon at the Strand Theater. Food and crafts booths will be open 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m. at Founders Park.

2009 LeJeune Cove Mardi Gras Courir and Dance: The run will take place Saturday, Feb. 21. No details at this point on the the LeJeune Cove Mardi Gras Dance except that it will be held that evening at La Pay E Bas, an RV camp located at 409 Arpent Road, south of Eunice off of Highway 91.  Going south on Highway 91, the turn-off is on the right a couple of miles past the trailer park and about a half mile before the intersection of Highway 91 with Highway 368. There is a four-foot double-sided sign at the turn off with "La Pay E Bas" in large letters (at least the sign was there in 2008).  Last year, the dance was 7-11 p.m.

2009 Mamou: The Mamou Mardi Gras begins Saturday, Feb. 21, with a street dance under the red light on Sixth St. featuring Holly Ortego 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and Ferrell Manuel 2:30-6:30 p.m. The Children's Mardi Gras run will be held Sunday, Feb. 22. Monday evening, the street dance will feature COD (Cajun on Delivery) 4:30-7:30 and Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys 8-11. On the north end of Sixth Street, Low Rider will be the DJ 5-7 and then Keith Frank and the Soileau Zydeco Band will take the stage 7-11. On Tuesday, Mardi Gras Day, Jamie Berzas will be the DJ 10-11 a.m. and then Jamie Berzas and Cajun Tradition will perform 12-5 p.m. under the red light. On the north end, Low Rider will be the DJ 9-10 a.m., followed by Jeffery Broussard and the Creole Cowboys, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and Chris Ardoin and NuStep 1-5 p.m.  Fred's Lounge and other venues will also have bands throughout Mardi Gras. Information on the Mardi Gras run is not confirmed, but ordinarily the run leaves about 8 a.m. and returns between 3:30 and 5 p.m. If the Mardi Gras follow their pattern of alternating routes from year to year, they should be following the eastern route this year.

2009 Soileau: According to an announcement on KRVS's "Zydeco Est Pas Salé" radio show, the Soileau run will begin, as usual, at 10 a.m. the day before Mardi Gras. There will be a dance in Oberlin starting at 6 p.m. following the run with music by T-Broussard.

2009 St. Ann's Benefit Dance at Zydeco Hall of Fame. An LSUE staffer who is a member of St. Ann's Catholic Church in Mallet has forwarded word that a benefit dance for the church will be held 9 p.m.-2 a.m. at the Zydeco Hall of Fame (formerly Richard's Club) east of Lawtell on Friday, Feb. 20. Music by J.J. and the Zydeco Dog Pound. Tickets are $7 in advance from church members or $10 at the door.

Updated 2-20-09

Drive safely and obey speed limits. Law enforcement will be out on roads like Highway 13 and elsewhere.  If you are coming on Highway 190, be especially careful as you enter Livonia (the town limits extend about 2 miles east of the traffic lights with a 55 mph limit), Krotz Springs (it's now 45 mph over the bridge), and Port Barre. Also law enforcement will be on the streets checking for underage drinkers. Have fun but obey the law.

 


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