Mardi Gras on the Gulf Coast

Carnival is a tradition dating back to 1703. It 's a celebration that precedes Lent. Mardi Gras falls on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, first day of Lent. For nearly 300 years have Mobilians this pre-Lent celebration observed.

Although the first observation of the celebration actually took place just outside of Mobile at 27 Mile Bluff in 1703. The Carnival has continued in subsequent years by settlers in the city of Mobile to bring the tradition observed by hisThe house in France. The celebration of Mardi Gras is Mobilians the chance to celebrate for two weeks and the pomp and splendor of the balls to enjoy throughout the city during this time.

Although Mardi Gras was celebrated in 1703 in Mobile, a company parade began a few years later. A Mobilian named Michael Krafft was responsible for the first. Krafft was moved to Mobile from Pennsylvania. He celebrated the season with some friends in the city of Mobile.After dinner and maybe a couple of drinks and, Krafft and some friends decided to borrow a couple of agricultural tools, which have been properly display on a sidewalk in front of a hardware store. With these devices, bells and other noisemakers, the band of merry mates went to a parade through the streets of Mobile and thus the parade tradition was born. This would be the first parade mobile society, and was named the Cowbellion de Rakini Society.

L 'The civil war, the practice of the procession was stopped in 1866, when Union forces occupied Mobile. About this time to revive a group of colleagues, Joseph Stillwell Cain continued the tradition. A car of coal was ordered for the impromptu parade. The group came up with some makeshift costumes and dressed as a Chickasaw Indian chief Slacabamorinico and many Indian warriors, moved through the streets of Mobile. The irony of the choice of costume was notUnion troops lost. Cape Slacabamorinico had never been defeated in battle and it is said, that was the reason the head was chosen to thumb your nose to the Union soldiers. The procession reminds people in Mobile, as he enjoyed the parade and the tradition has continued. In Mobile, Joseph Cain, with his special day, Joe Cain Day is celebrated in honor on the Sunday before Mardi Gras. It begins with a procession of "Merry Widows" are all dressed in veiledMourning. These widows "fight" over who was the favorite wife of Mr. Cain. The procession ends in the royal tomb of Cain, in the city of Mobile.

Although the tradition started in Mobile, was quickly adopted by the people of New Orleans, Louisiana, and adopted. Today, many cities up and down the Gulf Coast have their own versions of Mardi Gras developed at different scales. If the amount of the largest cities prove overwhelming, you can always enjoy the festivities insmaller towns like Gulf Shores, Fairhope and Dauphin Island.