Mardi Gras 2012: Let the good times roll

The first weekend of Mardi Gras! Galveston 2012 kicks off Friday and features 12 parades.

Friday

WHAT: Party Gras! Parade
WHEN: 5 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.
WHERE: Downtown

WHAT: George P. Mitchell Mardi Gras Award Ceremony honoring Doug and Joan McLeod
WHEN: 5:30 p.m.
WHERE: Tremont House, 2300 Ship’s Mechanic Row

WHAT: George P. Mitchell Mardi Gras Honoree Parade
WHEN: 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
WHERE: Downtown

WHAT: Funky Uptown Umbrella Brigade
WHEN: 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
WHERE: Downtown

WHAT: Krewe da’ Yagas Parade
WHEN: 10 p.m. to 11 p.m.
WHERE: Downtown

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Saturday

WHAT: Mystic Krewe of Aquarius Seawall Kick-off Parade
WHEN: noon to 1 p.m.
WHERE: Seawall

WHAT: Zaniest Golf Cart Parade
WHEN: noon to 2 p.m.
WHERE: Downtown

WHAT: 103.7 Radieaux Krewe
WHEN: 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
WHERE: Downtown

WHAT: Art Car Parade
WHEN: 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
WHERE: Downtown

WHAT: Krewe of Gambrinus Parade
WHEN: 6 p.m. 7 p.m.
WHERE: Seawall

WHAT: Art Car Glo Parade
WHEN: 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.
WHERE: Downtown

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Sunday

WHAT: Sunshine Kids Parade
WHEN: 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
WHERE: Downtown

WHAT: Shriners Hospitals for Children-Galveston Parade
WHEN: 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
WHERE: Downtown

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At a glance

COST: General admission downtown Friday and Saturday, $10 per day
ONLINE: www.mardigrasgalveston.com

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First weekend street closures

Beginning 5 p.m. Thursday
21st, 22nd, 23rd and 24th streets between Harborside and The Strand and The Strand and Mechanic Street will close.

By 2 p.m. Friday
Harborside to Mechanic, 20th to 25th streets, Market to The Strand will open to pedestrian traffic only.

By 10:30 a.m. Saturday
Access streets to seawall between 10th and 69th streets will close.
Streets will reopen by 11:45 p.m. Feb. 12

SOURCE: city of Galveston

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Other Mardi Gras Events

GALVESTON — Krewe Babalu will have a den party from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday at Stewart Beach Pavilion, 201 Seawall Blvd.

For information and tickets, email gladdenwalters(at)gmail.com or call 281-703-3331.

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GALVESTON — Mystic Krewe of Aquarius will have a Barn Bash from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday at the float barn, 31st Street and Avenue N1/2.

For information and tickets, email Johnny Lidstone, johnnylidstone(at)yahoo.com.

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GALVESTON — The Krewe of Thalasar will have its annual Mardi Gras ball from 8 p.m. to midnight Friday at the 1880 Garten Verein at Kempner Park, 2704 Ave. O.

Tickets are $65 per person.

For information and tickets, contact Felicity Dodson, felicityann(at)hotmail.com or 409-502-0745.

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KEMAH — Krewe du Lac will celebrate its 10th annual Mardi Gras with the following events:

• Krewes Into Kemah Kickoff Party, 8 p.m. Friday, Bacchus Taverna;

• Kemah Mardi Gras Parade, 11 a.m. Saturday, Kemah Lighthouse District to the Boardwalk;

• Post Parade Mardi Pardi, 11 a.m. to dusk Saturday, T Bone Tom’s Backyard;

• Masquerade Party, 9 p.m. to close Saturday, Zone 504;

• Crazy Alan’s Swamp Shack Celebration, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday;

Visit www.krewedulac.org.

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KEMAH — The Galloway Gallop Mardi Gras Fun Run will start with a certified 10K and 5K race at 8 a.m. and a Kid K dash at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Kemah Boardwalk.

The entry fee is $25 for the 5K and 10K races or $20 for the Kid K and includes a T-shirt and race packet.

To register, visit www.signmeup.com or download a form from the events page at www.thegallowayschool.org.

Call 281-338-9510.

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GALVESTON — The Z Krewe will have a seawall party at 9 a.m. Saturday, open to Krewe members and guests only.

For information and tickets, visit www.zkrewe.net.

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WEBSTER — The Bay Area Alliance for Youth and Families will have its second annual Crazy Krewe event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Clear View Education Center, 400 S. Walnut.

There also will be a 7K run and 2K walk starting at 8 a.m.

Visit www.ccisd.net/alliance or call 281-284-0370.

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TEXAS CITY — The Rotary Club of Texas City will have its second annual Mardi Gras on the Mainland Gala at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Charles T. Doyle Convention Center, 2010 Fifth Ave. N.

Tickets are $75 per person. Sponsorships also are available.

For information and tickets, call Kirk Broiles, 409-939-5575; Chris Delesandri, 409-739-0505; or Dawn Tholcken, 281-923-5197.

Tickets also are available at the Texas City-La Marque Chamber of Commerce office and Texas First Bank in Texas City.

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GALVESTON — Krewe d’Espirit Rosaire will have its annual Mardi Gras pageant at 8 p.m. and ball at 9 p.m. Saturday in Expo A at Moody Gardens, 1 Hope Blvd.

Tickets are $30 per person.

To purchase, visit https://sites.google.com/site/krewekdesgalveston.

For information, email vcmailnu2(at)yahoo.com or yonibenson(at)hotmail.com.

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TEXAS CITY — The Front Door Club will have a Mardi Gras Masquerade Party from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday at 6106 state Highway 1765.

Admission is $5 per person.

To purchase tickets, call 713-417-4278 or 281-813-2458.

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GALVESTON — The American Music Award’s Sprint New Artist of the Year, Hot Chelle Rae, will perform at 10 p.m. Saturday at Saengerfest Park, 23rd Street and The Strand.

To purchase tickets, visit mardigrasgalveston.com.

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GALVESTON — For one special day, Mardi Gras! Galveston 2012 will transform into Family Gras! at 11 a.m. Sunday.

Family Gras! is set to host kid-friendly events throughout the day.

Donations will be taken at the gate to benefit the Sunshine Kids and Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Visit mardigrasgalveston.com.

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GALVESTON — The 26th annual Mardi Gras Ball for Special People will be from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday in Expo B and C at the Moody Gardens Convention Center, 1 Hope Blvd.

For information and tickets, call 800-582-4673, Ext. 4108, or email volunteers(at)moodygardens.com.