Biloxi’s Mardi Gras Family Celebration replaces rained out Children’s Parade

BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) - For 25 years, Biloxi has planned a Children’s Parade. This year, it was rained out. A replacement event happened Monday in its place.

“We put together a family celebration. We have a costume contest, float contest, art activities, refreshments, and just a fun time for families to come out and enjoy,” said organizer Bill Raymond.

He and Martha Hunt-Tripp have spear headed the Children’s Parade since its inception.

“My mom wanted the children to have an opportunity to know what Mardi Gras was about,” said Hunt-Tripp. “When you see everyone on the float, you just catch the beads. But if you’re actually in the parade, it means a lot more.”

Parents bring their kids and custom floats. Since they did not parade through downtown this year, Raymond and Hunt-Tripp organized a Family Celebration under I-110 on Howard Avenue. There, families brought the floats that would have been in the parade. This year’s theme was about bringing books to life.

“My mom and I did Madeline because of the book and my dad built this float for us,” said contest winner Caroline Wilson. Her parents, Jacqueline and Aaron, have brought her to the Children’s Parade for years. “I’m the creative one, I usually tell my husband what to do,” said Jacqueline. “I do the costume and decorations. This year, he built her a custom float. He spent about two weeks building it by himself and we decorated it together.”

For Caroline, the tradition are memories she will never forget.

“I’m extremely grateful that they did this and my dad built this float for me. I don’t know what I would do without them,” she said.

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

Copyright 2023 WLOX. All rights reserved.