SPECIAL EVENTS

Mardi Gras! Galveston 2012 – Bead There! Texas’ Rich in history, Mardi Gras! Galveston will celebrate 101 years on the island in 2012.  Visitors to Texas’ largest Mardi Gras celebration, Mardi Gras! Galveston, are expected to throw more than 3 million beads Feb. 10-21, 2012, while celebrating the feasting and merriment of headliner music performances, parades, family events and other festivities that come with hosting an island style Mardi Gras.

Mardi Gras! Galveston 2012 will feature 26 concerts, 24 parades, 19 balcony parties and five elegant masked balls. Due to the revival of a ticketed entertainment district, last year’s event saw an increased attendance and a 50 percent drop in police calls, making it one of the largest and safest Mardi Gras events on record. The 2012 event will be even bigger than 2011, and include a plethora of new features and reasons to be among the over 300,000 people expected to “bead” there!

Hot Chelle Rae to Headline Live Performances
The American Music Award’s Sprint New Artist of the Year, Hot Chelle Rae, will be the headline entertainer at Mardi Gras! Galveston 2012. Hot Chelle Rae exploded onto the national music scene earlier this year with their single “Tonight, Tonight.” Hot Chelle Rae will perform in front of thousands of fans and Mardi Gras attendees at 10 p.m. on Saturday, February 11. The concert will be held at Saengerfest Park, located at 23rd and Strand St, in Galveston.

New Parades
The first of the 24 parades to take place at Mardi Gras! Galveston 2012 will be the second annual “A Salute to George Mitchell Parade” honoring award recipients Doug and Joan McLeod, held at 7 p.m. on Feb. 10. Additional new parades include the Zaniest Golf Cart Parade, the Gloworama Art Car Parade, the Danny Weber Memorial Fire Truck Parade and the Shriners Hospitals for Children Parade, benefiting the Shriners Hospitals. There will also be new faces among the parade floats as the public begin to participate in “Build Your Own Krewe,” purchasing space in new processions such as the Houston Chronicle 2012 Parade.

A Funky World Record Attempt
During the 2011 Uptown Funky Umbrella Bridage parade more than 500 participants performed the Hokey Pokey to claim the title of the largest umbrella dance in the Guinness Book of World Records. With a pending challenge set by another country, the 2012 Uptown Funky Umbrella Brigade will need to increase its presence to hold the reigning title. Join the brigade at 20th Street between Mechanic & Strand on Feb. 10 at 8:30 p.m. to march throughout the district.

Family Friendly Events
On Sunday, Feb. 12, Mardi Gras! will transform into Family Gras! for one special day. Family Gras! is set to host kid-friendly events throughout the day. Presented by Moody National Bank, Family Gras! will open their gates at 11 a.m. featuring two parades, live entertainment and grant free admission to the public. Donations will be taken at the gate to benefit the Sunshine Kids and Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Mardi Gras with an Ocean View
Located on a 32-mile-long island, not only is Mardi Gras! Galveston the nation’s third largest Mardi Gras celebration, it comes with an ocean. Each year, in addition to the parades offered in the downtown entertainment district, krewes from around the region host elaborate parades along Seawall Boulevard that are free, open to the public and complemented by an oceanfront carnival with amusement rides and games. Beachfront festivities include a children’s parade, pet parade, a Battle of the Bands, fireworks and several additional parades hosted by the island’s largest and oldest krewes.

A Bead-Dazzling Time
If you’re looking to catch any of the 3 million colorful beads to be thrown from parade floats and downtown balconies, you don’t have to stand in the streets to do it. Mardi Gras! Galveston’s elegant side will feature five masked balls where black-tie attire, lavish buffets, live performers, dancing and parade viewing invoke the evening festivities. Popular events include the Tremont House’s annual Mardi Gras Ball and Parade Viewing Party and the San Luis Salute hosted by Tilman and Paige Fertitta.

About Mardi Gras! Galveston
Mardi Gras, the traditional festival of feasting and merrymaking that precedes the season of Lent, was first publicly observed on Galveston Island in 1867. Following a sabbatical imposed in 1941 by war and challenging times, Mardi Gras! Galveston was revived in 1985 by Galveston-born preservationist and developer George P. Mitchell.

The largest celebration of its kind in Texas, and the third largest in the nation, the event has grown in cultural creativity and imagination, showcasing lavish parades, galas worthy of royalty, original artwork, children’s activities and delicious Gulf Coast cuisine.

Still led by Galvestonians and their respective krewes, the grandeur is evident in the dueling parades that range from whimsical daytime processionals to elaborate night parades offering dramatic flair. The streets come to life with parade viewers shouting for beads, lively tunes played by the colorful marching bands, and the infectious merriment that dominates the island for two full weeks.

During Mardi Gras! Galveston, hotel availability is limited and guests should reserve rooms at the earliest convenience.

Visit www.mardigrasgalveston.com  for a complete schedule of events and more information.