Events set for revelers

Teche Area Mardi Gras revelers have several local parades to choose from when making this year’s Mardi Gras plans.

At 1 p.m. today, the Newcomer’s Club in St. Martinville will hold its 47th annual Mardi Gras parade. The parade has 13 registered floats, four marching bands and five dance school groups. The route starts at St. Martinville Primary, continues down Main Street through downtown and ends at Joyce’s Superette.

Four community parades will roll through parts of the Teche Area throughout the day on Tuesday.

Grand Marais’ Mardi Gras celebration has been going on since Valentine’s Day, with the parade as the grand finale set for 11 a.m. Tuesday. The 29th annual parade will start at Grand Marais Elementary, travel down College Road and then turn onto Olivier Road.

The king and queen for Grand Marais will be announced Monday night and then ride in the parade Tuesday. Iberia Parish Sheriff Louis Ackal will serve as this year’s grand marshal. Marching bands from Loreauville and West St. Mary high schools will play in the parade, as well as two high school marching bands from Shreveport.

The Coteau Mardi Gras parade, which has been taking place for at least five years, will start at 1 p.m. at the Coteau Ballpark. From there, the participants will turn right onto Louisiana 88, take an almost immediate left onto Fremin Road, follow Fremin Road back to Louisiana 88, travel in front of Coteau Elementary and end back at the Coteau Ballpark.

There will be no marching bands, but the Acadiana Kids will be performing on one of the 38 registered floats. The number of floats are up 15 from last year, not counting the horses and four wheelers.

Franklin’s Mardi Gras parade will also start at 1 p.m. The route will start at Franklin Senior High School, travel down Main Street, turn onto Willow and Third streets, then finish at Franklin Senior High School.

At 2 p.m., the Pappa Red Doll Mardi Gras Association will bring the Krewe of Neighborhood family parade to Loreauville.

The parade will follow its traditional route, starting at the corner store in Twin Pine subdivision and end at the park.

Teche Area Mardi Gras parades:

Today:

• St. Martinville — 1 p.m.

Tuesday:

• Grand Marais — 11 a.m.

• Coteau — 1 p.m.

• Franklin — 1 p.m.

• Loreauville — 2 p.m.