Twelfth Night: Carnival commences with kings, krewes, king cakes
Christmas and New Year's may have passed, but the holidays are just beginning for 2016. Tuesday marks the Christian celebration of Twelfth Night, a festive occasion on the eve of Epiphany to recognize the three kings at Jesus' birth, and Epiphany arrives on Wednesday, continuing the festivities and welcoming the beginning of the indulgent Carnival season.
The revelry of Twelfth Night and Epiphany may honor the three kings, but, especially in the South, the holiday also celebrates the opening of Carnival and its various attractions, including parades, balls, countless krewes and the sugary, sweet king cakes we wait all the previous year to overeat. Whether you made a New Year's resolution to lose weight and get fit or to better watch what you consume, the season's purple, green and gold cakes -- not to mention the coveted plastic baby surprise -- are hard to resist when they're featured prominently in every grocery store and bakery in the area.
In fact, the Biloxi Visitors Center in Biloxi will play host to both the celebration of the three kings and the beginning of Carnival season at 5 p.m. Tuesday. The party kicks off at 5 p.m., but the Gulf Coast Carnival Association's 2015 Royal Court will turn off the holiday lights adorning the Biloxi lighthouse at 6 p.m., signifying the end of the Christmas season. At 6:15 p.m., the first Mardi Gras parade of the year will travel from the Visitors Center to the Mardi Gras Museum where the Museum's lights will be turned on, honoring a Coast tradition of more than 100 years and portraying the opening of Carnival.
Going forward from this week through Mardi Gras on Feb. 9, the krewes of South Mississippi will be hosting more parades, balls, parties and galas than we'll know what to do with, so keep an eye on local events to make sure you have time to select an appropriately sequined gown or tux and your favorite Colombina or Bauta mask lest you risk being underdressed.
This story was originally published January 3, 2016 at 9:49 PM with the headline "Twelfth Night: Carnival commences with kings, krewes, king cakes ."