Gulf Coast Carnival Association Parade rolls through Biloxi

The good times just keep on rolling here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and the Mardi Gras festivities continue to show out this Fat Tuesday.

Purple, green, and gold, the true colors of Fat Tuesday on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Thousands of people swarmed to the City of Biloxi for the Gulf Coast Carnival Association Parade that included over 100 floats.

This legendary Mardi Gras parade has been taking over the streets of Biloxi since 1908 and it always brings pride to Biloxi natives. Paradegoer Scott Stephens said, “Oh it’s great. Just the resilience of the people of Biloxi and Gulf Coast after Katrina, they still bring this thing back every year. I’m someone whose multi-generation family that was oysterman and fisherman here, so we come back every year. We try to see the Mardi Gras.”

With the Gulf Coast Carnival Association Parade being the oldest carnival association here in South Mississippi, it truly becomes a tradition for some families, but this parade also may be different because they are coming to honor the lives of their loved ones.

Martha Stephens was Biloxi born and raised, and some of her best memories as a kid were riding on Mardi Gras floats.

For a few years, she took a break from Mardi Gras festivities, but this year, she’s back honoring the life of her husband. “It’s good being back. My husband just passed away in September, so we decided to come over in his memory because he loved to come to Biloxi.”

She went on to say that she’s thankful Mardi Gras brought her family back together and she hopes the tradition continues.