A big Carnival season has arrived on the Coast! Here’s the full list of Mardi Gras parades
If the Krewe of Neptune’s membership boom is any indication, Mardi Gras 2024 should be one to remember on the Mississippi Coast.
The krewe, which sponsors one of the Coast’s most popular Mardi Gras parades, added 135 members this year, boosting its roster to around 460. It’s the biggest membership increase Neptune has seen in a very long time, parade Captain Chet Landry said.
Neptune’s parade, which rolls through downtown Biloxi, is unique because the member floats are made by Kern Studios in New Orleans, which also makes floats for parades in that city. Neptune will have 17 floats, with a total of about 80 units in the parade.
Landry said Neptune’s membership boom might be partly attributed to new leadership and other changes but also a desire to celebrate the season in a big way after COVID lockdowns and flareups.
The Coast’s oldest Mardi Gras group, the Gulf Coast Carnival Association, will have 100 units rolling in its Biloxi parade on Fat Tuesday. The GCCA’s Jennifer Schmidt said a crowd of about 80,000 is expected. The GCCA, founded in 1908, has 24 of its own floats built by Doug Blom of Biloxi.
“We’re running a family friendly event, as usual, and we hope to keep it that way,” Schmidt said.
Mardi Gras parade schedule for MS Coast
A complete Mardi Gras parade schedule for the Coast is listed below:
Saturday, Jan. 27
1 p.m., Elks Club and Krewe of Unique Parade, Ocean Springs
1 p.m., Pass Christian Carnival Association Parade, Pass Christian
Saturday, Feb. 3
10 a.m., Children’s Walking Parade, Biloxi.
6 p.m., Long Beach Carnival Association Parade, Long Beach.
6 p.m., Krewe of Neptune Coronation Ball, Coast Coliseum, Biloxi
Between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., depending on weather, Gautier Men’s Club Parade, Gautier
Sunday, Feb. 4
11 a.m., Original Krewe of Barkloxi PAWrade, Point Cadet Pavilion, Biloxi
12 p.m., Krewe of Nereids Parade, Waveland
Friday, Feb. 9
7 p.m., Ocean Springs Carnival Association Night Parade, Ocean Springs
Saturday, Feb. 10
12 p.m., Krewe of Diamondhead Parade, Diamondhead
12 p.m., Jackson County Carnival Association Parade, Pascagoula
2 p.m. Krewe of Gemini Day Parade, Gulfport
5:30 p.m., Krewe of Neptune Night Parade, Biloxi
Sunday, Feb. 11
12 p.m., St. Paul Carnival Association Parade, Pass Christian
1 p.m., Second Street Social Club Parade, Gulfport
1:30 p.m., North Bay Area Mardi Gras Association Parade, D’Iberville
Monday, Feb. 12
5 p.m., Mystic Krewe of the Seashore Parade, Bay St. Louis
Fat Tuesday, Feb. 13
1 p.m., Gulf Coast Carnival Association Parade, Biloxi
This story was originally published December 29, 2023 at 6:00 AM.
