Asheville Mardi Gras Parade
Written by: Kaytee Weidenfeld
The Asheville Mardi Gras Parade will flaunt through the streets of downtown Asheville at 3:05 p.m. Feb. 7.
Stepping off in front of the Haywood Park Hotel, flashy floats, costume enthusiasts, and live bands will waltz down Haywood Street, Page Avenue, and Wall Street.
This year is the parade’s 9th-annual celebration and is themed “Saints vs. Sinners,” due to landing on Super Bowl Sunday.
Hobbit Hawes, chairman of the Asheville Mardi Gras and an experimental education and psychology graduate from Hampshire College, is coordinating the event alongside other AMG members.
“Asheville hardly needs an excuse to dress up in this town and people love it,” Hawes said. “The combination of having fun, throwing a party, dressing up, and goofing off is a winner for Asheville.
He said Asheville Second Line is headlining the event and other performing acts and krewes include Wicked Geisha Entertainment and Ritual Theatre, The Digs, Seduction Sideshow, Kenny the Clown, and many more.
Founding member Sara Widenhouse, a University of Rhode Island graduate, was chosen by a slice of cake to reign as queen for 2016 and picked King Robert Bone to reign alongside her.
Royalty is chosen by a King’s Cake, which is a tradition AMG adopted from Louisiana and occurs on Twelfth Night, she said.
Widenhouse said the Queen’s Ball will be held after the parade at Pack’s Tavern at 5 p.m., and there will be an award ceremony, entertainment, a photo booth, and a cake called “The Queen’s Treats.”
Both events are fun and family friendly, she said.
“I think what we’re doing is really showcasing the creativity of the movers and shakers of the funnest people in Asheville,” Widenhouse said. “Dressing to the nines and really pulling off a major spectacle that’s seen in the community with a positive light.”
Chairman Hawes said AMG is different than other Mardi Gras events around the country.
“We’re very much proud of our mountain heritage and Asheville culture,” Hawes said. “We’re not New Orleans like or New Orleans wannabes, we’re Asheville Mardi Gras. We do things in our own way.”
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