Staked off spots.
Majorettes.
Brass Bands.
King Cake for Breakfast.
Purple, Gold & Green Beads.
Glitter.
That is what Mardi Gras normally brings, not in 2021.
I am a transplant, but Mardi Gras is by far my favorite time of year. My mini and I can usually be found bouncing along parade routes on both sides of the lake. To say we are disappointed about this year’s cancellations is an understatement. Check out how we are planning to keep the good times rolling.
King Cake Tastings
You can’t cancel king cake, right?! Our go-to king cake for the season is from Nonna Randazzo’s in Covington, but this year we plan to branch out and try some from other bakeries. Big bakeries, small bakeries, different flavors we will eat them all!
Mardi Gras Crafts and History
As a homeschool family, we will be taking some time to get those creative juices flowing. Masks, beads, and our own custom throws are all on the agenda. We will put all the glitter in our house to good use. We will also do some lessons on the history behind our favorite holiday season.
Krewe of House Floats
This is the alternative we are looking forward to the most! Houses decked out with all the Mardi Gras flair that we love to see. The local chapter of this Krewe (Northshore) looks to have fun things planned and we cannot wait to take it all in. The house map will be published in a few short weeks. We will be ready to go and enjoy it all. One specific “krewe” that looks fun is the Rollin’ on the 3 Rivers House Floats Parade with lots of festive houses and businesses decorated in downtown Covington.
Celebrate with your Pets
This year, the Krewe Du Pooch, founded as a way to support local businesses and animal rescue organizations by the City of Mandeville and Old Mandeville Business Association, is going virtual! You can sign up for the virtual fun run and walk anytime between now and February 20th. Dress your pet up in a festive costume and snap some pics along the way to share on social media.
While there won’t be a Mystic Krewe of Mardi Paws parade in 2021, they are still determined to have some fun this Mardi Gras season! They have put their own spin on things with Dog House Floats with a focus on raising awareness for the St. Tammany Parish Dept. of Animal Services. If you’d like to decorate a dog house, register HERE and leave your display up until Sunday February 21st (the date the parade would have taken place).
While Mardi Gras 2021 may look vastly different from our usual, we will make sure it does not lack in its usual colorful panache. We will mambo our way through this season just like we have in past; king cake in one hand, beads in the other.
How do you and your family plan on celebrating this year?
