Chances are, when you think about Mardi Gras, your mind goes to one place in particular. The massive parades, the masquerades, and the drinking and festivities are most commonly associated with New Orleans and Louisiana. Mardi Gras is a massive celebration that is enjoyed across the globe, though, and New Orleans is far from the only place that puts on an incredible Mardi Gras show. One place that rivals New Orleans in terms of the sheer enjoyment you can find with Mardi Gras is Mobile, Alabama.
Mardi Gras is the celebration that kicks off in the weeks leading up to Fat Tuesday, the official day of Mardi Gras. The day after Fat Tuesday is Lent Wednesday when many Christians begin fasting or giving up on something they enjoy for 40 days. Lent is a holiday of restraint, where Christians spend a long period without some of the foods and other things they enjoy. Mardi Gras, Carnival, and Fat Tuesday are all about getting the maximum amount of food, festivities, and fun in before that solemn holiday begins.
Mobile is where America’s first Mardi Gras was held. The city was a prominent port city throughout the early days of American history. In 1703, the country’s first recorded Mardi Gras festival was held. It was then brought back following the Civil War by Mobile resident Joe Cain, who led an impromptu procession through the city. It has been held in Mobile every year since.
The Mobile Mardi Gras experience is huge, with thousands taking to the street. There are also many unique wrinkles to the Mardi Gras culture you can expect to see. For starters, Mobile goes all out for Yardi Gras. In the weeks leading up to Fat Tuesday, many of the residents of this city decorate their yards heavily in Mardi Gras themes. There are tours of the city throughout Mardi Gras season that spotlight this great tradition.
Another uniquely Mobile celebration during Mardi Gras is the Joe Cain Day celebration. Joe Cain, as previously mentioned, is the man who brought Mardi Gras back to Mobile following the Civil War. His legacy is still widely celebrated by Mobile, and the Sunday before Fat Tuesday, you’ll see Mobile out in force. There are traditions like a parade of people, with all welcome, marching from Church Street Graveyard to Joe Cain’s original home for a street party. Joe Cain Day is a distinct Mobile Mardi Gras celebration.
In 2021, Mobile was unable to have the usual Mardi Gras festivities amid the pandemic. While Yardi Gras continued as usual, Mardi Gras was unable to happen. Anticipation began building earlier than ever for the next Mardi Gras, with a Carnival-style parade occurring last May. City officials have so far said that Mardi Gras will be back in force in 2022, and they are expecting record crowds this year. Barring a turnaround from city officials in the wake of the Omicron surge, Mardi Gras will return to Mobile in the weeks leading up to Mardi Gras Day on March 1st.
For those that want to fully engage with Mobile’s great Mardi Gras past, the town also has the Mobile Carnival Museum. This museum is meant to spotlight how Mardi Gras came to Mobile and the great history the town has with the celebration. There are 14 galleries, video presentations, and an interactive float area. It is a family-friendly spot with a gift shop that will provide some top-notch Mardi Gras souvenirs, so if you’re in Mobile to celebrate, don’t miss out on this spot.
There will be massive parades throughout the season that take to the Mobile streets. There will be over 40 parades that roll through downtown Mobile. Crowds fill up fast, so make sure you get to the downtown area well before the processions. This is a family-friendly day of fun, with hilarious town traditions like thrown moon pies and unique foods and drinks. Revelers can enjoy their drinks in public, as this is a massive street party that Mobile takes very seriously.
As we approach Carnival season, it is time to start looking ahead to Mardi Gras. While New Orleans may have the biggest and most well-known Mardi Gras celebration, Mobile has the most historic. The Mobile Mardi Gras is a wild celebration of letting loose before Lent, and it is a great place to party with friends or enjoy a spectacle with family. On March 1st, when the main event kicks off, you won’t want to be anywhere else.
