Mardi Gras to take a "tropicalé" twist in Tower

By Carina Portillo
The Collegian

Masks, music and down-home Southern recipes will break loose in the Tower District this weekend during the annual Mardi Gras celebration.

The Tower District Grand Mardi Gras Parade will kick-off this Sunday, Feb. 18 down Olive Avenue. This year, the parade will be followed by a drum-off of Central Valley high schools in a drum-line competition.

Bill Kuebler of the Tower District marketing committee said many area restaurants will offer specials on southern dishes such as creole, jambalaya and red beans and rice. Some of the participating restaurants include The Landmark, Chicken Pie Shop and Sequoia Brewing Company.

Though many people come out to the Tower District year after year to celebrate Mardi Gras, some do not even know the origin of the festivities.

Rose Marie Kuhn of the modern and classical languages and literatures department explained that the Southern-style Mardi Gras seen in Fresno is not prevalent in other parts of the world.

“It’s basically a celebration of spring,” Kuhn said. “The evils of winter are chased away.” This chasing, Kuhn said, is done by the people dressed up in masks and paint seen at Mardi Gras. Kuhn also said that in her native Europe, every city had its own “carnaval,” which is French for these festivities.

Mardi Gras, which literally means Fat Tuesday, is part of the bigger carnaval. Kuhn said Mardi Gras is above all a family affair, with activities for everyone.

“The goal here is to have fun,” Kuhn said. As a precursor to the Catholic observances of Lent and Easter, Fat Tuesday serves as the last day to feast before the time of fasting.

Mardi Gras celebrations have a different flavor in different parts of the world, Kuhn explained each celebration reflects the local culture. For example, Mardi Gras in Germany includes beer and sausages, while wine and pastries are served in France.

Back in Fresno, the New Orleans take on Mardi Gras will be seen this year in the Tower District. The celebration’s tropicalé theme will be displayed through the parade of colorful floats, live music, and of course, the handing out of beads.

“It’s all about the indoor parties in the restaurants and night spots over here,” Kuebler said. “It’s going to be a heavy-duty popular scene.”

On Fat Tuesday, Kuebler expects Kuebler said, “There’s going to be a dozen different parties to go to on Fat Tuesday.”

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