Best Gulf Coast Mardi Gras

Steve Jones, Director of Real Estate Sales at Kaiser Realty, Inc., lives in Gulf Shores and is this year’s King of the Mystic Order of Shiners, a Mardi Gras krewe. Steve got an early, eye-opening introduction to Mardi Gras celebrations. “My first Mardi Gras was in 1972,” he said. “I was a sophomore at Sidney Lanier High School in Montgomery, Alabama and our Army ROTC Drill Team was invited to march in the Fat Tuesday parade. We traveled by bus to New Orleans the day before and spent the night aboard the USS Trenton. Needless to say, at 15 years of age, I saw things the next day during that parade that I had never seen before, and I'll never forget girls coming out of the crowd to put beads around Sergeant Johnson's neck, and the thunderous applause when we would throw our weapons cross ranks and overhead.”

These days, Steve’s Mardi Gras celebrations aren’t quite so educational, but are just as fun. “Besides our Shiner Ball of course, I love the parade. Our entire community shuts down to participate in the Fat Tuesday parade and thousands line the street along the two-mile parade route. We have a float that as a group we build and decorate with a different theme each year and as the oldest order we are always the first float in the lineup. We make sure several of us walk so that we can put beads and throws directly into the hands of the young ones.”

Down the street in Orange Beach, Tom Steber, General Manager of Zeke’s Landing Marina, is a member of the Mystics of Pleasure society. The Mystics put on their own parade, this year the Saturday before Fat Tuesday. This is the Mystics’ ninth year to parade, and their theme is “It’s 2009, Fine as Wine on Number Nine”. The group will throw more than a million beads, 100,000 coins, 50,000 cups and much more.

According to Tom, this year a formal ball is being held by the Mystics, with nationally known entertainment and a joyous feast. Members will be dressed in Mardi Gras style, Costume de Riqueur, with white tie and black tails for gentlemen and floor length formals for the ladies.

Tom began his Mardi Gras experience in Mobile.

“In 1957, we went to Mobile's parade. I went to almost every one as a child with my Grandfather, Arthur Smith, who was on the Mobile County School Board for 20 plus years. He love Mardi Gras! I could not tell you how many times I got burned by the flares that walked beside the floats!”

What do you do if there aren’t many krewes in your town? Make up your own. That’s what Jennifer Wilson and friends did in Orange Beach, creating the Maidens In Pink Stilettos.

“We formed the organization near the end of 2005, so our Inaugural Mardi Gras Season was 2006,” said Jennifer. How did they get started? “It’s a long story. Sarah Champagne, Mary Susan Slaughter, Rachel Ellsworth, Summer Sanders and myself, were talking about how fun it would be to get a group of girls together to create something exciting for women in the Orange Beach area. We decided that we would start an all girl rock band and call it the Pink Stilettos. No one in the group could play an instrument so we assigned everyone an instrument to learn, but the rock band never panned out.

Imagine that! Sarah, being the party planner that she is, decided later in the year that it would be fun to have a “Mardi Gras” ball themed birthday party for several of us that had birthdays in February. We started brainstorming on the party idea and decided that we should just start our own Mardi Gras organization. We sought advice from some very helpful organizations on the Eastern Shore, sent out an email to all of our friends, held a meeting for those interested, and had over 100 girls show up. We added the “Maidens” to the name to make it more festive, and The Maidens In Pink Stilettos was born. We had our Inaugural Masquerade three months later. Our mission was to create an organization that was fabulous - but still affordable for working women in the area. Along with having fun, we knew that we could use the combined talents of the group to plan amazing fundraisers and do some good for those that need it. Over our short existence, we have been able to donate a considerable amount of monies to charitable organizations including The American Cancer Society, Alabama Juvenile Arthritis Initiative, The Lighthouse of Baldwin County, Mary’s Shelter in Baldwin County, and many more.”

As for a ball, “We have a ‘Masquerade’ instead of a formal ball; and pink heels and pink boas are always a part of our costume! In addition to celebrating Mardi Gras, we have monthly socials and several fundraisers throughout the year. It takes up a large amount of time and it is hard work, but we have a wonderful, diverse group of members and every single member does their part to make our organization successful.”

What’s the best part of being a member of a Mardi Gras krewe?

 “My favorite part of Mardi Gras is riding in the parade. In order to keep our yearly dues affordable, we do not have our own parade. On Fat Tuesday, we ride in the city parades in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach – and we have a blast!”

Having a blast. That’s what Mardi Gras all boils down to. Southeast Alabama has that figured out.  

These days, Steve’s Mardi Gras celebrations aren’t quite so educational, but are just as fun. “Besides our Shiner Ball of course, I love the parade. Our entire community shuts down to participate in the Fat Tuesday parade and thousands line the street along the two-mile parade route. We have a float that as a group we build and decorate with a different theme each year and as the oldest order we are always the first float in the lineup. We make sure several of us walk so that we can put beads and throws directly into the hands of the young ones.”

Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, Alabama Mardi Gras.  Mardi Gras.  Mardigras.  mardigras.  Orange Beach MArdi Gras.  Gulf Shores Mardi Gras.

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