Mardi Gras! Tonight!

Once again the party-loving burghers of Clarendon are throwing open their streets for the friendliest  Mardi Gras parade in, or near, DC. You're invited to come on over and let some bontomps roolay tonight at 8. For fun it's unbeadable! Poster courtesy of Bono Mitchell.

Some scenes from previous Mardi Gras parades-

2009-



2008-

Mardi Gras St. Patrick's Day

In 2008 and in 2009, through the good graces of my friend the graphic goddess Bono Mitchell, I did some artwork that was used by the Clarendon-Courthouse Mardi Gras Parade ( see here, here, here or here). Clarendon-Courthouse is a business district in Arlington that stretches along Wilson  and Clarendon Boulevards and they've been throwing a parade on Mardi Gras for quite a few years, though last year's was cancelled because of the snowpocalypse.

This year Clarendon is combining Mardi Gras and St. Patrick's Day, a natural pairing that makes sense with Easter being late this year. There won't be any fancy floats based on the above poster, alas, but there'll be king cake and beer and shamrocks and beads. And that's enough for me.

Mardi Gras Parade 2009

The First Family makes its way down Wilson Blvd on Fat Tuesday (photo thanks to Jennifer Hart, Arlington), and they're followed by Gov. Palin, below (photo thanks to Bono Mitchell). I appreciate these as I was stuck at home and missed all the fun. My daughter Charlotte represented the family, kindly chaperoned by Mike Rhode and his daughter Claire.