by Hunter Dawkins & Calvin Ishee
Despite both parades being eight days apart, both carnival associations celebrated long traditions with plenty of family fun. King Scott Rik Dew & Queen Rosalie Jennifer O’Neal Glenn reigned over the Carnival Association of Long Beach’s Parade Saturday night, February 15.
The friendly city celebrated their 60th year of parading with music, beads and good family fun.
Sunday, February 23 an extremely fun Pass Parade set the standard for nine more years of new and exciting Roaring 20’s celebrations. Mardi Gras enthusiasts dressed in costumes featuring flamingos to pirates to outfits from the roaring 20’s came from all over the south to pack the parade route.
Parade goers were more than thrilled with this year’s theme, floats and bounty. Ron Ishee, from Georgia, was one of those highly satisfied partiers that made this statement just after the parade ended, “The only sad thing about today is that we have to wait another year to do it again”.
Pass Christian Mayor Leo “Chipper” McDermott stated, “It appears a good time was had by all who attended Sunday’s parade.” Pass Police Chief Daren Freeman commented “Overall we had a great day”. Freeman also stated, ”I want to thank all of the outside Law Enforcement Agencies who assisted this year with the parade. This event would not be possible without their support: Long Beach PD, Gulfport PD, Biloxi PD, Harrison CO SO, George CO SO, MS Hwy Patrol, MS Gaming Commission, Waynesboro PD, Waveland PD, Moss Point PD, Pascagoula PD, MS Alcohol Beverage Control, MS DMR, the US Customs/Border Protection, and AMR.”
King XC Christian Dr. James Beningo and Queen Christiana Sally Anne James were the established royalty of the St. Paul Carnival Association for 2020.
Thank you goes to Pass Christian City employees from all departments for their outstanding and tireless efforts prior to, during and after the parade. They do the monumental and “unseen” work that helps these parades be as successful as they are.
Local businesses also thrived as a result of this year’s Pass Parade. Mary-Catherine Scriber, owner of the very popular The Whiskey Bar commented, “Mardi Gras 2020 was the first for The Whiskey Bar and it was amazing! I couldn’t be more pleased. We had great live music performed by Brandon Blackburn and a steady stream of patrons, both local and “out of towners” starting around 9 am and culminating with a huge, mostly local, crowd from late afternoon into the night. What a party! Including Queen Anne James and Past King Joey Niolet as well as members of the Royal Court”. It was an amazing celebration of our community. The day was a huge success for The Whiskey Bar and Pass Christian! I love our town and people.“
Although there were no incidents during the parade, after the parade was over the Pass Christian Police Department responded to a couple of minor incidents such as Disorderly Conduct, Failure to Comply, Disturbing the Peace and breaking up a fight between two females.
(Photo Credit: Hunter Dawkins, Sean Macken, Carnival Association of Long Beach and Evelina Burnett)
