UPDATE:
The Birthplace of Mardi Gras now boasts the world’s largest Mardi Gras Tree. Mayor Sandy Stimpson and City Council President Levon Manzie will light the Mardi Gras Tree in Mardi Gras Park at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 6.
Festivities have been moved into the History Museum of Mobile at 5:30, due to weather.
The crowd will be treated to music by Blow House Band. Face painters and balloon artists will perform their skills, and Rouses and Toomey’s have donated treats. All are invited to attend
****************************************************************
The first-ever Mardi Gras Tree Lighting is happening Thursday, Feb 6th at 5:30... the night before the first parade of the season rolls through downtown Mobile.
The tree came together pretty quickly, considering it has a custom-designed topper by Ron Barrett (who has done so many BEAUTIFUL sets for Mobile Mardi Gras balls)... and considering that purple ornaments are a lot tougher to find than gold!
It started after Christmas, when Mobile Mask's Steve Joynt and NBC 15's Darwin Singleton, and others, questioned the city's removal of the Christmas tree. Why not transform it into a Mardi Gras tree? That's something a lot of homes and businesses do this time of year.. and after all, Mobile IS the birthplace of Mardi Gras in this country.
So, the tree limbs were returned to the tree, ornaments were shipped in, and Ron Barrett got to work.. and it's ready for THIS season! What do you think?