Tag: Mardi Gras History
Three Generations of Mardi Gras Royalty
Discover the glitz and glamour of three generations of Mardi Gras queens.
Searching for the True Beginning of the Cowbellions
A local Mardi Gras historian digs deep into the myth and lore of the origins of the famous rake and cowbells.
What Happened to the Cowbellions?
Mobile’s original mystic society, which reigned supreme over celebration and mirth in 19th-century Mobile, danced into oblivion some 60 years after it was founded.
Ask McGehee: Who was the British nobleman who served as king of Mobile’s Mardi...
The only British-born monarch of Mobile’s Mardi Gras was Arthur Shirley Benn. The year was 1896, but he served under the name of “Emperor of Joy” rather than King Felix.
The Mardi Gras Master of Make-Believe
John Augustus Walker changed the world of float design and made Mobile’s Mardi Gras a sight to behold.
The History of the Excelsior Band
Dating back to 1883, the Excelsior Band has been delighting Mobilians for generations and breaking barriers along the way.
Mobile’s Original Floral Parade, 1905
A blossoming 1905 photograph offers a glimpse into the history of Mobile's Floral Parade.
The Lost Boys of Mardi Gras
For decades, the Catholic Boys Home in Mobile fielded the most entertaining marching band in Mardi Gras.
Ask McGehee
Prior to 2020, did Mardi Gras parades ever get cancelled due to a pandemic?
A History of Mobile in 22 Objects: Chief Slac’s Threads
Take a closer look at the story of Mardi Gras, told through Chief Slac’s Joe Cain Day costume from the 1970s.