Mardi Gras lights up Dickson with parties, parades and cake
Jordain Carney
Issue date: 2/23/09 Section: News
This Wednesday might be Ash Wednesday - the Christian solemnity that marks the beginning of the Lenten season of fasting and prayer - but people in Northwest Arkansas and throughout the world have spent the last few months and, in particular, the last week, celebrating Mardi Gras - a continuous circle of parties, parades and balls.
Fayetteville residents began to celebrate Mardi Gras this weekend.
On Saturday, the city hosted the 17th Annual Fat Saturday Mardi Gras Parade of Fools, a family event. The parade started at the end of Dickson St. and ended in the square with a king's cake.
The celebration will continue Tuesday.
The 17th Annual Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras on Dickson St. event will include a street party in the 300-400 blocks of Dickson and a foot parade with a Zydeco band. The parade will start at Jose's and end at Zulu's around 10 p.m., said Dixie Rhyne, a Fayetteville Mardi Gras organizer.
The first record of Mardi Gras suggests it began at least as early as 1268, and associates it with the merrymaking of the famed Carnival of Venice.
Masks are a central theme of the Carnival, and despite many attempts to ban or limit the Carnival over the years, it now starts two weeks before Ash Wednesday and ends on Fat Tuesday.
France began to celebrate the Carnival in 1294, with balls and masquerades that only required a costume and a mask to attend.
Mardi Gras came to the United States in the late 17th and early 18th centuries with French explorers.
The first celebration was in 1703 in Mobile, Alabama, but New Orleans adopted the custom, as well.
Today, New Orleans is the city that comes to mind at the mention of Mardi Gras. The Carnival celebrations start on Jan. 6 and become more frequent leading up to Fat Tuesday. Mardi Gras in New Orleans includes private balls, parades and, of course, plenty of parties.
While some students, like Mary Mann and Barbara Clinkscales, have made the trip down to Louisiana to celebrate Mardi Gras, others said it is too long of a trip.
"It would be fun," said Mary Smith, but the drive, as well as money for gas and a hotel, always put a stop to the idea.
For students who cannot go out of state for Mardi Gras, George's will also have a Mardi Gras celebration Tuesday with the Randy Rogers band and other guests.
And just a short drive away, Eureka Springs offers students the chance to celebrate with a masquerade ball, royal court, jazz brunch and parade.
The town's five-day event began Feb. 19 and will continue through Fat Tuesday.
Fayetteville residents began to celebrate Mardi Gras this weekend.
On Saturday, the city hosted the 17th Annual Fat Saturday Mardi Gras Parade of Fools, a family event. The parade started at the end of Dickson St. and ended in the square with a king's cake.
The celebration will continue Tuesday.
The 17th Annual Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras on Dickson St. event will include a street party in the 300-400 blocks of Dickson and a foot parade with a Zydeco band. The parade will start at Jose's and end at Zulu's around 10 p.m., said Dixie Rhyne, a Fayetteville Mardi Gras organizer.
The first record of Mardi Gras suggests it began at least as early as 1268, and associates it with the merrymaking of the famed Carnival of Venice.
Masks are a central theme of the Carnival, and despite many attempts to ban or limit the Carnival over the years, it now starts two weeks before Ash Wednesday and ends on Fat Tuesday.
France began to celebrate the Carnival in 1294, with balls and masquerades that only required a costume and a mask to attend.
Mardi Gras came to the United States in the late 17th and early 18th centuries with French explorers.
The first celebration was in 1703 in Mobile, Alabama, but New Orleans adopted the custom, as well.
Today, New Orleans is the city that comes to mind at the mention of Mardi Gras. The Carnival celebrations start on Jan. 6 and become more frequent leading up to Fat Tuesday. Mardi Gras in New Orleans includes private balls, parades and, of course, plenty of parties.
While some students, like Mary Mann and Barbara Clinkscales, have made the trip down to Louisiana to celebrate Mardi Gras, others said it is too long of a trip.
"It would be fun," said Mary Smith, but the drive, as well as money for gas and a hotel, always put a stop to the idea.
For students who cannot go out of state for Mardi Gras, George's will also have a Mardi Gras celebration Tuesday with the Randy Rogers band and other guests.
And just a short drive away, Eureka Springs offers students the chance to celebrate with a masquerade ball, royal court, jazz brunch and parade.
The town's five-day event began Feb. 19 and will continue through Fat Tuesday.
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