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Parade to bring a hint of New Orleans to Dunedin
The city's annual Mardi Gras festivities are a celebration of the Crescent City.
By DEMORRIS A. LEE
Published February 20, 2007
DUNEDIN - For a few hours this evening, this small town will turn downright jazzy with the feel, sounds and buzz of all things New Orleans. There will be lots and lots of purple, gold and green beads tossed from floats. Costumes. Adult beverages and good music. We mentioned the beads, right? Organizers with the Dunedin Downtown Merchants Association expect more than 30,000 people to swarm into town from 5 to 11 p.m. for their 16th annual Mardi Gras celebration. "Hopefully we can beat that number this year," Downtown Merchants Association president Rose Tucker said of attendance projections. "This is a tribute and a celebration to New Orleans." Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday, which is today, in French. Mardi Gras and New Orleans are entwined like jazz and blues. Mardi Gras is a legal holiday in New Orleans and for two centuries it has been an annual event except during the two world wars. Even the destruction caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita hasn't stopped the bead-throwing festival. Local festivities start at 5 p.m. There will be about 20 food vendors selling burgers, Chinese food and smoked turkey legs along Main Street. There will be two live bands playing at Pioneer Park downtown. Another stage has been set up on Main Street near City Hall where the Charlie Marshal blues act will perform. A parade will began at 8 p.m. at Knology Park and dance along Douglas Avenue from Beltrees Street to Monroe Street. The parade will include 20 floats, politicians on convertibles and again, lots of bead-throwing. Tucker said there are at least three 64-foot floats. "It's going to be a long, long parade," Tucker said. Demorris A. Lee can be reached at 445-4177 or dalee@sptimes.com. If you go Dunedin Mardi Gras Starts: 5 p.m. today. Parade: Starts at Knology Park at 8 p.m. and proceeds down Douglas Avenue from Beltrees Street to Monroe Street. Cost: Free. To learn more: Call 727 733-3197.
[Last modified February 19, 2007, 22:57:41]
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