When most people think of Mardi Gras, they are drawn to images of the wild, raucous and often lewd version of the Fat Tuesday celebration associated with New Orleans. And though New Orleans may own the most recognized pre-Lenten celebration in the US, it actually originated about 150 miles east in the sleepy port town of Mobile, Alabama.
The term Mobile Mardi Gras offers both better alliteration and a more family-friendly environment for watching parades and experiencing the most royal traditions one can find in the US. But if you can’t be in Mobile during the actual celebration, be sure to stop by the Mobile Carnival Museum to get a taste of the event, its history and even some of its most popular parade favors, the Moon Pie.
We stumbled on the museum by chance, rerouting through downtown to avoid a traffic snarl in the I-10 tunnel under the Mobile River. Driving by the three-story home which houses the museum, we made a quick circle around the block and spent the next two hours wandering through the expansive displays, taking our time to examine the displays, read the placards, watch some of the informative multimedia presentations that bring history to life. Frankly, we easily could have spent another hour or so, but our hungry 12-year-old consumed all the available video as fast as he does a Chick-Fil-A meal, and we had to seek both food and new entertainment for our own sanity.
A quick fact-check on Mobile’s claim to be the home of Mardi Gras establishes the first observation of the event in 1703. The first parade recorded in 1711 when local residents tugged a paper mache bull down Dauphine Street celebrating Boeuf Gras. The Cowbellians, one of the original secret societies, introduced horse-drawn floats to the celebrations in 1840. The Carnival Museum’s official website (http://www.mobilecarnivalmuseum.com) notes that from 1862-1865, “Carnival is cancelled during the War of Northern Aggression.” Parading resumed in 1866, says the official website, as the “Lost Cause Minstrels in a procession through the City in defiance of occupying Union troops.” The citizens of Mobile have been parading consistently since the, except for short breaks during World War I and World War II.
Visitors enter and exit the Carnival Museum through the gift shop, which generally is staffed by volunteers who love the museum and hosting visitors. We waited a few minutes at the entrance as the volunteer on staff had accompanied another family into the museum and was sharing some personal experiences — a delightful honor we shared as well. A brief, large-screen video presentation introduces the sights and sounds of Carnival before visitors enter a large hall featuring several full-sized floats and Mardi Gras regalia. Be sure to take a few minutes to climb aboard the floats and do use the available beads to understand just what riding and throwing these treasured trinkets is all about.
The highlights of the museum are the extensive costume displays, including a wide variety of king, queen and court member vestments from the major mystical societies. The smartphone tour is an essential element of getting both the history of the mystic societies and some of the backstory on the elaborate ceremonies, costumes and crowns.
In addition to informative placards and videos that accompany the displays, the Carnival Museum offers an interactive smart phone tour that extends the written descriptions and includes additional audio and video. It’s a great supplement to the in-person experience, and available free: https://mobilecarnival.oncell.com With 60 numbered displays, you probably won’t listen to all the offerings unless you have 3+ hours to invest. But they do offer some great supplemental information, for example, the reason why the last official vehicle in all parades is a fire truck.
Our Best Tips for Visiting:
Ride a Float. The entry hall and the full-sized floats are perfect exhibits, for kids of any age. With permission, you can climb aboard and get the unique perspective of a masked rider. There are usually a few beads available for you to throw to your squad or family. But be sure to use the right technique: beads should be thrown upward in an arc so they float over the crowd, tantalizing the revelers before reaching the upraised hands of the crowd. An underhand motion is advised to avoid smacking an unsuspecting reveler directly in the face.
Use the Smart Phone Tour. It’s free, informative and fun. You can pick and choose the exhibits where you get more information. I focused more on the history of the mystic societies, while my wife enjoyed the backstories on the crowns and costumes.
Take Photos with Costumes, Masks and Hats. On the way out, we took a few minutes in the gift shop for photos wearing a variety of masks and hats. Also don’t miss the opportunity to pose as a King and Queen of Mardi Gras using the cut-out photo props. These goofy moments always turn out to be some of the most unexpected and funny photos from every trip.
Visit the Moon Pie General Store. While we didn’t find the exact story of how Chattanooga-originated Moon Pies became one of the favorite throws for Mobile mystics, we did sample a few of the small versions generally used in the parades. The gift shop had a limited selection available for purchase (and we did!). On a future trip, we’ve marked the nearby Moonpie General Store at 107 St Francis Street as a must-stop for more samples.
Eat Local Seafood. Mobile is a coastal town, and local seafood is available everywhere. We generally look at Mobile as one last opportunity to grab fresh local seafood — especially raw oysters — direct-from-the-boats on our travels back from New Orleans to Atlanta. Check your favorite restaurant review site for the most recent listings and experiences. Some of our favorites include The Half Shell Oyster House (great prices and a locals’ favorite), Felix’s Fish Camp (fancier, on the bay, but be prepared for a long wait) and Wintzell’s (local, multi-location restaurant with several convenient locations and an extensive seafood menu.)
Final Note
As a matter of transparency, I wrote this entire piece originally referring to the Mobile Mystic Societies by the better-known term, Krewes. Egads! I quickly learned that the New Orleans Krewes are based on the Mobile Mystic Societies, but the Mobile Mystics are very proud that they — not those western usurpers from The Big Easy — originated the mystic Carnival traditions in the US.
