With Mardi Gras season fast approaching, preparations are being made for countless parades, parties, balls, festivals, and neighborhood celebrations in Shreveport-Bossier: Louisiana's Other Side. Carnival festivities begin with the 12th Night Celebration Saturday, January 7, and continue until the midnight Texas Street Bridge Closing Ceremony on Fat Tuesday, February 21. Shreveport-Bossier's major parade weekends will feature the Krewe of Centaur which will roll on February 11, and the Krewe of Gemini, which will roll on February 18. These two parades typically draw some 400,000 people to experience the fun and pageantry of Mardi Gras. Both parades commence at 4 p.m., starting at East King's Highway Park in the Broadmoor neighborhood and ending on Clyde Fant Parkway in downtown Shreveport. 


One aspect of Shreveport-Bossier's Mardi Gras season which sets it apart from many is the variety of parades and celebrations held annually. The Krewe of Harambee MLK Day Parade, celebrating African American culture and heritage, will march on MLK Day, Monday, Janunary 16. The, Krewe of Barkus and Meoux, known locally as "the Animal Krewe," provides a chance for festive pets to celebrate Mardi Gras in their own parade. The Krewe of Highland Parade, a family-oriented daylight parade, follows a route through Shreveport's historic Highland neighborhood, and is known for unusual throws ranging from grilled hot dogs to cans of SPAM. The Krewe of Aesclepius Children's Parade marks the finale of Mardi Gras celebrations and is held on the same evening as the Texas Street Bridge Closing Ceremony.



Along with the parades, Shreveport-Bossier has a unique population of Mardi Gras fanatics who do more than just participate in the festivities. Individuals like Matthew Linn, founder of the Krewe of Highland and Robert Trudeau, a local Mardi Gras expert, play a huge part in making Carnival season not only fun but enriching for the community. 

Trudeau, who is also very active in Mardi Gras activities, has written a popular handbook called How to Mardi Gras, a comprehensive 36-page guide to Carnival in Louisiana with 36 illustrations. He is also the co-founder of the, Blanc et Noir Marching Society, a Second Line that marches in the Krewe of Highland parade.

For more information about Mardi Gras in Shreveport-Bossier: Louisiana's Other Side, visit www.shreveport-bossier.org.

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