Mardi Gras is this Saturday

By Susan Taft
staft@campcountynow.com

The good times will roll in Pittsburg Saturday at Mardi Gras for the Museum.
The fun begins that morning with a bike run and children’s parade at 10.
Third grade students from Pittsburg Elementary School have made and decorated musical instruments to play in the morning’s parade. Those watching the parade will see everything from homemade maracas and bongos to guitars.
“They love making these instruments,” said Mary Ruth Townsend, a third grade teacher and vice president of education on the museum board. “They have made tons of drums. You’ll see maracas made out of water bottles, and bongos made out of plastic coffee cans that are held together with a rope.”
The parade is not limited to third graders. Any child who wants to participate is invited to decorate a bicycle or scooter and join the fun. There will also be a float for children who want to ride in the parade.
Any child who wants to march or ride in the parade should be at The Farmstead Museum on Mount Pleasant Street no later than 9:45.
“People usually associate Mardi Gras with adults,” said Fanny Hively, executive director of the museum, “but this children’s parade is something the whole family will want to see. The students’ creativity really comes out when making these instruments.”
From The Farmstead, the group will travel through town to The Depot Museum.
Participants in the bike run will lead the parade. More than 125 bikers are expected to be in town that day, according to Elaine Barnwell, who is helping organize the event.
“The bike run will take them on a scenic route through East Texas,” she said. “They will end up at Barefoot Bay where the band, The Unknown, will play from 2 until 5.”
Prizes will be awarded for first high hand, second high hand and first low hand.
Stop by the museum office at 204 West Marshall St. or Tommy Lee Insurance, 145 Jefferson St., to pre-register. Registration will continue Saturday morning from 8:30 until 10 at Corner Express, 101 North Greer Blvd.
The main event of the day is the masked ball at Princedale Country Club that evening.
The festivities begin at 6:30 p.m. Guests will dine on crawfish pies, shrimp bisque, turduckens with crawfish dressing, ham and sausage jambalaya, red beans and rice with sausage and crawfish dip from Dudley’s Cajun Café. Music will be provided by Randy Brannon. A live auction will be held featuring paintings, a girls’ night out with a limo ride and dinner in Jefferson, a meal for 10 at Ferndale and a handmade rocking chair made by prisoners in the Texas Department of Corrections, donated by Rep. Bryan Hughes. Jerry French will toss in a little humor as he serves as auctioneer.
Mrs. Hively said attending the ball is a fun way to support your local museum.
 “Attending the Mardi Gras Ball is a perfect opportunity to get dressed up (if you want to), wear your boa and kick up your heels,” she said. “Last year we could hardly get people to leave because everyone was having so much fun. Pittsburg is the best little town in Northeast Texas, and I can always count on the community to continue to support the museum. See you there.”
For more information on the day’s events, call Mrs. Hively, at 903-855-7571 or 903-856-1200.