‘It’s a really good one’: Franklin wrapped up Carnival with parade Tuesday
The Mardi Gras holiday was celebrated in Franklin with one of the largest parades in St. Mary Parish.
Hundreds flocked to downtown Franklin Tuesday afternoon to celebrate the Mardi Gras holiday in southwest Louisiana.
The parade was just one of many happening throughout the day in the Teche Area.
King cakes, beads, toys, music and lots of food were available to those who ventured to Franklin’s historic downtown, which had been filled with all kinds of Mardi Gras decorations in appreciation of the holiday.
Mardi Gras royalty rode in many of the floats that passed by as children and families rushed to catch some of the throws distributed throughout the route.
Those attending the event ranged from all over Acadiana, including Ashley Chauvin from Lafayette who was parked on the sidewalk with her two children.
Chauvin, a Franklin native, said she attends the parade annually to see friends and family in town.
“It’s a really good one, they get excited,” Chauvin said, pointing to her children.
Various local organizations took part in the parade like SMILE Community Action Agency which crowned children as royalty as they rode on a float during the parade.
Local leaders such as Parish President David Hanagriff and Franklin Mayor Eugene Foulcard were also on hand to take part in the festivities as well.
The same day, other Mardi Gras parades like Loreauville’s Papa Red Dog Parade and Grand Marais’ annual parade were taking place at the same time.
The Mardi Gras season is one of the most active in terms of south Louisiana’s festival season, and municipalities all across the state perform their own unique parades to celebrate the day before the start of the Lenten season.
Other parades that took place this year included the Bayou Mardi Gras Association’s parade in downtown New Iberia in February, which was the first parade in Acadiana to kick off the Mardi Gras season.
In St. Mary Parish, other Mardi Gras parades celebrated included the Krewe of Dionysius Parade in Berwick, the Krewe of Galatea Parade in Morgan City, the Krewe of Hephaestus Parade in Morgan City and the Siracusaville Parade.
The Baldwin Mardi Gras Parade was canceled this year.