From the City of Havre de Grace Office of Tourism:
In the spirit of an authentic New Orleans Mardi Gras , Havre de Grace welcomes visitors and locals to celebrate along Bourbon Street with a parade supported by Havre de Grace Historic Preservation Committee. Floats will be constructed by local businesses and artisans. Experience the Havre de Grace Jazz Band as they lead the parade from Bourbon Street to Washington Street, and continue down St. John Street. Havre de Grace embraces the French culture with an evening celebration.
“The parade began 6 years ago and has grown to include more than 25 organizations including Vulcan Materials, Harford County Department of Recreation, restaurants, musicians, and local small businesses”, stated Brigitte Peters, City of Havre de Grace Marketing and Tourism Manager, “As the tourist season slows we felt the need to wake up our Community, think local and celebrate small business with great food, music, art, and a Mardi Gras Parade.” This year there is more to celebrate this Fat Tuesday with the recent Ravens Superbowl win, excitement will be at an all time high.
“It will be exciting to see the floats created by our restaurants and businesses”, says Ron Browning of Le Cle Dor Guesthouse, “Laurrapin Grille is continuing their “Be Local” theme with a float, Silks at Bulle Rock will be voting in a King and Queen and Tidewater Grille will continue the festivities throughout the evening. The creativity of our City will shine on Fat Tuesday.”
Book your stay at one of our lovely historic Bed and Breakfasts. The Havre de Grace Mardi Gras will culminate with a festive Main Street procession at 6:30 pm on Fat Tuesday (February 12th) where procession watchers will enjoy floats, costumed characters and a feast of beads for their evening of festivities. Post-procession parties will be held at various restaurants and bars around town where party goers can kick off the night with many specials, music, and more.
Havre de Grace will be the place to be during this festive week. Visit www.hdgtourism .com for the complete details of the events for February.
Wondering how many politicians, car dealers and child molesters will be in this years parade. It was really neat when it started but now it seems the last few years, everyone has gotten their fingers in the cookie jar and made it just another boring ass parade.
SARAH: PLEASE DO NOT ATTEND THIS HDG EVENT. NO ONE WANTS YOU THERE. THIS NEARLY 80YR SENIOR HAS PARTICIPATED AND SHARED THE FUN EVERY YEAR ALONG WITH HUNDREDS OF OTHER PEOPLE.
Sarah, Thanks for your thoughts. I have excellent news for you. Attendance is not mandatory. Sarah, this is America. Why does that matter? In America if people don’t like the parade they don’t have to go. If enough people don’t go, then eventually the parade will be changed or discontinued. Now before you get all lathered up, sunshine, I do share some of your views and I probably won’t go myself but let’s give our fellow citizens the opportunity to make their own decisions.
And since it is America, lets give Sarah the deference to speak her mind without scolding her for her thoughts. Sarah didn’t encourage anyone not to attend the parade, she just shared her thoughts about previous parades, which, by the way, many of us, including you, share. I hope this years parade is a great success!
Point taken, Mike.
Apologies, Sarah, but your reference to ‘boring ass parade’ flipped my switch. I just don’t like that language. Perhaps without all of the politicians and car dealers there wouldn’t be a parade. Or it would only last 5-7 minutes. I guess they see it as free advertising.
It is interesting that in popular parlance this particular Tuesday is still referred to as “Fat Tuesday”. Historically speaking, this day was so called as it is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday and the last day to use up all butter, milk, cheese, and other dairy products, in addition to meat, that would be be forgone during the Lenten fast. Nowadays, in this post-Christian world, I think that fasting practices (in Roman Catholicism at least) have been so relaxed that a reference to “Fat Tuesday” is almost meaningless.
Sara is right. She is free to say what she chooses. I did not see her telling anyone not to go. The parade was started as an alternative to every other parade in Maryland that seemed to be full of car dealerships, Ms Maryland/America/Someone and those seeking elected office, Trash trucks and drama guilds. I saw some guy running for mayor in it a few years ago. So I guess it will be just like all the rest. Sara Thanks for speaking your mind.