It’s Mardi Gras time in Olive Branch
Photo: Floats and festivities will celebrate Mardi Gras in Olive Branch on Saturday, March 1. (Courtesy photo)
Mardi Gras is a tradition that dates back thousands of years, mostly known for the celebration that takes place in New Orleans, but Mardi Gras is celebrated in many areas, especially along the Gulf Coast. It’s a celebration that began from ancient pagan festivals, evolved through Christian traditions, became the extravagant celebration known today and has a long history.
In 1699, French explorers Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville and Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville landed near present-day New Orleans and celebrated a small version of Mardi Gras. Bienville later founded Mobile (1702) and New Orleans (1718), which both became major hubs for Mardi Gras celebrations.
Mardi Gras remains a time for vibrant music, extravagant costumes, and a spirit of revelry before the solemn Lenten season, but until about three years ago Mardi Gras wasn’t observed in DeSoto County.
But now, the city of Olive Branch has welcomed Mardi Gras to let the good times roll, or “laissez les bons temps rouler.” That celebration will return this year, not on Fat Tuesday, but on Saturday, March 1.
The event is the mastermind of the Olive Twig Humanitarian Group, which performs charitable services to the Olive Branch area and strives to enhance the lives of children and families in the community. It is their major fundraiser each year.
“Not too many people up in north Mississippi are really knowledgeable about Mardi Gras,” said Leigh Ellen Doddridge with the group.
The day centers on the parade, which is set to begin at 1 p.m. with Northcentral Electric Cooperative and B and L Heating and Air LLC as title sponsors, and it will be on a longer parade route this year. Along with floats, festive costumes and lots of beads, groups take part will include the Memphis Second Line Jazz Band, back again for third straight year.
Before the parade, the Wesson House will feature music starting at 11 a.m. by Bryan Hayes Music. A Kids Zone will open at 12 noon for two hours and will feature balloon twisting talents from Miss B-Loonie and The Airhead, face painting from Sarah Litney, and more.
The Wesson House will also feature some Olive Branch history in several scrapbooks with items from past Miss Olive Branch Pageants the group hosted for many years and other activities that have happened.
“A lot of ladies have asked about it and you know what, the parade is a great opportunity, so we’re going to have it set up in the Wesson House on tables,” Kim Allen with the group said. “They had a historian and that’s what they did, put together a scrapbook. There will be a lot of pictures dating back to the 1980s.”
The Mardi Gras celebration in Olive Branch is a fundraiser, but Allen said it’s really just meant to be a fun time for all.
“Mardi Gras is a fun reason to celebrate and bring people together,” said Kim Allen of the Olive Twig Humanitarian Group. “That’s the biggest part of it, that it’s fun, time to celebrate, along with spring coming and warmer weather.”
From just a parade that first year, Allen said the Olive Twig group is happy that it has caught on so well.
“We just had no idea of what we were doing the first year, but I think we knew that people wanted it,” Allen said. “I never thought it would be growing this quickly with this much passion for the community to care.”
Among the areas the money raised from Mardi Gras will go is for needs in the Olive Branch community and in the local schools.
“Everything that we raise we will spend this year giving back to the community,” Doddridge said. “We’ve started clothes closets, food pantries and added more scholarships. We give back to the schools with whatever their needs are for the Olive Branch schools and the scholarships will go to anybody that has an 38654 address, it doesn’t matter what school they go to.”
For more information, email olivetwighumanitarian@gmail.com or visit the Olive Twig Humanitarian Group Facebook page.
