I just moved to the Coast and went to my first Mardi Gras parade. Here’s how it went.

Having just moved here from Miami and having grown up in Seattle, Mardi Gras parades are not something I have attended in my life. When I was offered the chance to go the night parade in Ocean Springs, I jumped at the opportunity.

In Seattle, I’ve been to a couple of solstice parades marked by naked bikers. About a decade ago, I attended the Seahwaks championship parade when they won the Super Bowl. Needless to say, both were a far cry from Mardi Gras on Government Street.

I’m not entirely sure what I expected, but it certainly didn’t involve as many Moon Pies and beads. The sight of kids playing tag in the streets was wholesome and the folks in ball caps and boots grilling by their cars was reminiscent of a tailgate. The open drinking in the street reminded me of a weekend in Vegas.

Apart from the gentleman wearing a white shirt with handwritten red letters reading “pinch my tail suck my head,” which I’ve learned is a nod to crawfish, the entire parade seemed to be family oriented — which was also a surprise considering the stories I had heard of Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

Once the parade started ,the floats were not what I anticipated. Again, I’m not entirely sure what I had in mind, but I was happily surprised by the lights, RUN DMC music and pirate ships. There was confetti, glitter glitzy outfits and a crowd of fanfare.

An hour later covered in beads, the parade was over. All in all, the parade made for a fun and endearing night out, especially watching the joy on children’s faces running to get beats from adults on the floats.

One of the best parts of the night? I didn’t have to pay for downtown parking, a true sign I’m not in Miami anymore.

This story was originally published March 1, 2022 at 5:50 AM.