Married couple of 50 years shares love story at Ocean Springs Elks Mardi Gras Parade

OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. (WLOX) - The coast’s first parade of carnival season kicked off Saturday. Dozens drew in from in-state and out-of-state, filling the streets as the annual Ocean Springs Elks Parade rolled through downtown.

The parade followed it’s traditional route from Beach Front to Washington Street. Many folks were in the festive spirit, including one couple that stood out of the crowd.

Longtime love birds Chris and Trisha Longcrier traveled all the way from Alabama to check out this year’s parade.

“We love the weather, the people, and the excitement,” says Chris. “This is the most fun parade there is,” Trisha added.

The couple has been married for over fifty years and share a love for the Mardi Gras holiday.

“Well I was twelve years old, and we started dating when I was 16 years old, and we’ve been married almost fifty-one years,” she mentioned.

Chris and Trisha are like two peas in a pod. They gave a few pointers on what they believe makes a successful union.

“Got to keep my baby happy,” said Chris

“Trust and respect each other, " Trisha added. “When the wife is happy, he’s happy.”

Their love isn’t the only thing you could spot miles away. Their eclectic fashion sense turned tons of heads from the massive crowd.

“We just did our purple and green and gold,“ she said. “ And, of course, I went to the beauty parlor today, and had my hair all fixed.”

Chris and Trisha’s love story truly represents the spirit of carnival season: vibrant, energetic, and infectious.

You can see the full list of this season’s Mardi Gras parades and route maps at Gulf Coast Weekend.

Want more WLOX news in your inbox? Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

Copyright 2023 WLOX. All rights reserved.