Mardi Gras - Houma Style

Would you believe the small town of Houma has the second largest Mardi Gras in Louisiana? For those haven't heard of Houma it is a small town about 45 minutes southwest of New Orleans. Houma is a town that exists because of the nearby Gulf of Mexico, as do the smaller surrounding communities. The shrimpers and crabbers built the town and are still a part of daily life. When offshore oil came in the late forties some of the shrimpers started to modify the vessels into crewboats and supply vessels to support the new structures in the gulf. Oil and the fishing industry are still the major industries and it is impossible to go into town and not see the influence.

Mardi Gras Houma started at about the same time as gulf oil drilling in 1947. Though Houma has the second largest Mardi Gras in Louisiana behind New Orleans the fact is not known by many outside the state. I lived in neighboring Texas and had barely heard of Houma much less that there was a Mardi Gras there. In fact I first heard about it in a briefing when working there after Katrina. The briefing was to let us know that the next two weeks the whole town would be engaged in a party, local business would close and being caught on the wrong side of a parade could leave one stranded for a while.

I had grown up with the Galveston Mardi Gras and been to the New Orleans Mardi Gras and though Houma has similar activities it is completely different. Galveston's resurrected Mardi Gras effort started in the 1980's as a way to pump money into the city during the colder months. I quit going a few years back as the Galveston event got to be a hassle with the Houstonians that came down and a cash register every few feet. New Orleans Mardi Gras seemed like a war zone even before Katrina, and I saw enough to know I would have been safer in a gunfight in Tijuana.

Mardi Gras in Houma is family and community event rather than the Girls Gone Wild image that New Orleans has taken on in recent years. Don't get me wrong there is some drinking going on and you might see a naked breast before it's all over, but that's not what it's all about. The main parade route for Houma takes it from the mall all the way through town and the down to the old downtown area. The long route passes merchants treating and thanking customers for their business during the year and families tailgate with friends and neighbors.

In Houma you are either in the parade or going to it. If you want to watch it is pretty easy even if you don't have a spot at a parade stand or party to go to. It is pretty inexpensive to get a balcony spot downtown or you can find an open spot to put a lawn chair and cooler for free. Local schools have kids marching in the parades and local clubs and business ride in the parade. Riding in a float usually involves being accepted into one of the local male or female krewes. The local krewes work on Mardi Gras all year and the members have to help with the floats and bring enough beads to throw for the whole parade route.

As far as beads go I have never seen a parade where they were more plentiful. Our two year old neighbor went with us last year and was able to amass a small fortune in beads without being trampled. The event is much safer than Galveston or New Orleans but not because of the visible presence of the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Department. The small community polices itself for the most part as they are neighbors and look out for one another. Altercations are cured by food and a fresh drink and when someone has had too much to drink a ride home is found for them.

This year Mardi Gras Houma starts a little early with the Krewe of Hercules parade on January 25, 2007 at 6 pm. The parades conclude on Mardi Gras Day with the Krewe of Houmas parade at 11 am on February 5th. If you would like to go to Mardi Gras but not be taking your life into your hands Houma is the place to be. Come on down and see what it is like to do it Houma Style.