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by Ezabelle Janssen, Staff Writer
LONG BEACH (GG) — Weeks before a single bead took flight, the Friendly City shifted into preparatory mode. Trailers rolled in early and parked, claiming prime real estate like seasoned parade veterans. Jeff Davis Avenue was lined with barricades and port-a-potties with the precision of a theme park on opening day.
By Saturday, February 7, Long Beach had shed its everyday look and stepped into Carnival fashion for the Annual Carnival Association of Long Beach Mardi Gras Parade. Downtown was no longer downtown. City Hall was transformed into a VIP viewing area, complete with a grand stage and controlled entry, for local royalty to sip, wave, and preside over the spectacle. The peasants were directed to the curb, where the real bead-catching business was conducted.
The Long Beach High School band marched through with Bearcat pride, followed by roaring floats with strobing lights and glittering beads.
Of course, pulling off a transformation of this scale takes more than just beads and bravado. The Long Beach Police Department, Public Works, and Parks and Recreation Department put in weeks of planning and long hours to keep the celebration safe and moving. Reinforcements from the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department, Pass Christian, Biloxi, Gulfport, and D’Iberville Police Departments, Mississippi Highway Patrol, Marine Patrol, and ABC ensured the only thing flowing freely was the fun.
Overseeing it all was King Scott & Queen Rosalie. Team McMahon-Seal made history this Mardi Gras season, raising a record-breaking $190,800 for the community.
For one impressively orchestrated Saturday, the City of Long Beach proved it can plan hard and play harder. Now that the trailers have pulled out and the last stray beads have been claimed, there’s only one thing left to do: start counting down.
(Photos by Ezabelle Janssen/The Gazebo Gazette)
