Krewe of Pearl parade rolls through Downtown Picayune

Carnival season is in full swing on the Coast as the Krewe of the Pearl Parade took place in Downtown Picayune Saturday.

In Picayune this weekend, they were letting the good times roll with their annual Krewe of the Pearl Parade for the Mardi Gras season. Paradegoer Marshall Troglen said, “You can always come here and it’s a nice time. Kids have a great time. You know, it’s just nice.”

The Krewe of the Pearl parade has been around more than a decade now. Grand Marshal John Pigott said, “Well, first off, it’s a family parade. A lot of families come out; amazing crowds come out for this.”

Paradegoer Ryder Ladner said, “It’s fun just to get stuff and hang out with family, especially around here in this park. It’s fun to play around with and I’m sure the really young kids love it.”

How did the parade get started? “The Krewe of Roses started this many years ago, in 1999. They lapped for a year or two and then the Krewe of the Pearl came and it’s been growing every year.”

Every year, the parade raises funds for the Queen of Pearl’s charity of choice. Queen of Pearl Cynthia Suzy Dyle-Thompson said, “Save a Life is a pregnancy support charity here in Picayune and we believe in getting people educated as much as possible about pregnancies.”

With tons of beads to catch and wear around your neck, there is always something special the kids take home. Paradegoer Nate Thompson said, “I didn’t really get much but I did get like some stuffed animals and stuff. So, I might give that to my nephew. I got some candy but not much maybe one or two.”