Jonesboro, AR – JonesboroRightNow.com – The purple, green, and gold are coming back to downtown Jonesboro, but this year, they are sharing the calendar with a little red and pink.
Kim and Perry’s 9th Annual Mardi Gras Party & Parade is set to return Feb. 14, bringing a slice of New Orleans to Northeast Arkansas.
While the event falls on Valentine’s Day for the first time in its history, a coincidence that organizers Kim and Perry Nettles said has slightly impacted attendance due to couples planning dinner dates that night, the show will go on, starting with a parade and ending with a party that includes an authentic Cajun feast.
What is now a staple downtown event began almost by accident. Perry said it started with a house party of about 50 people. The following year, the couple’s love for New Orleans inspired them to create the event.
“My wife and I got engaged at Jazz Fest, then that following December, [we] got married, and the next year, we did a huge parade down Main Street and then a Mardi Gras party at what used to be the Glass Factory as a wedding celebration, and it’s just taken off since then,” he said.
Now, friends and family travel from as many as seven different states, including Missouri, Kentucky, and of course, Louisiana, to attend.
The festivities kick off with a walking parade that lasts from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Unlike traditional parades with floats, this is a “Second Line” style procession, led by a jazz band brought in from Memphis.
Participants will gather at the public parking lot at the corner of Cate Avenue and Church Street (behind Brickhouse Grill). The route will go down Church Street to the Municipal Building, turn right on Huntington Avenue, right on Main Street, and loop back to Cate Avenue.
“It’s really just from Huntington back up to Cate in front of the main restaurants there,” Perry explained. “We dance, parade, the band gets a little louder, and we have throws for the kids, footballs, kind of like at the Christmas parade.”
New to the parade this year is the addition of a local fire spinner, a feature the organizers are excited to debut. The parade is free for anyone to watch or walk in.
Following the parade, a party will be held at the Elks Lodge on West Washington Avenue from 7 p.m. to midnight. Unlike the parade, the party requires tickets, which cost $60 each. Perry said while the event is not a fundraiser, the money will cover the cost of the band, venue, and a massive menu of authentic food.
“We have a full buffet of Cajun food prepared,” he said. “We do a crawfish boil, jambalaya, crawfish Monica, muffulettas, po’boys, and King Cakes made every year.”
For those worried about what to wear, Kim said the vibe is “loud” but flexible.
“It’s everything from jeans and a glittery jacket to a prom dress. Everybody just kind of picks their own style,” she explained.
Tickets can be purchased by contacting Perry or Kim on Facebook.