NORMAN — Members of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church hope that the party will continue after the Mardi Gras parade in downtown during the church’s annual Mardi Gras carnival also held the evening of Feb. 9.
The carnival will be from 6 to 11 p.m. at the parish center gymnasium, 421 E. Acres St. The family-friendly evening will include New Orleans cuisine and beverages, music by DJ Rosko, dancing and carnival games for kids.
Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 at the door. Tickets for children ages 6 to 12 are $5, and admission is free for children ages 5 and under. A $30 family ticket option also is available.
What has quickly become a Norman tradition, the Mardi Gras carnival at St. Joseph’s is a celebration prior to Lent, Fred Rice, coordinator said.
“Lent is a very important part of being Catholic. The season of Lent is a time of fasting,” Rice said.
The community is invited to the carnival, which Rice describes as one big party.
“It’s Mardi Gras mixed with an Oklahoma hoe-down. It’s everybody’s last hoorah before Ash Wednesday,” Rice said.
A Mardi Gras celebration wouldn’t be complete without food. And this carnival is sure to not disappoint. Rice adds that it’s a two or three day process for organizers just to prepare the food that will be served during the celebration.
The evening also will include the crowning of a king and queen. Once crowned, the couple will be given a sack full of quarters and then they will start the grand march. The march will then lead into a dance, which will feature music of all varieties.
Children attending the carnival will be escorted upstairs to play games and be chaperoned by the church’s youth group.
“We do have a collection along the way for our seminarian and the youth group,” Rice said. “We give everything back to the church for the facilities and the food.”
For more information on the Mardi Gras carnival, call the church office at 321-8080.
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