Long Beach's Mardi Gras parade, festival returning
Feb. 25 event at Shoreline Village will have activities, fun for all ages
Ornate masks, bead throws, live music and specialty food — all in support of early childhood education — will mark the return of Long Beach's Mardi Gras parade and festival this month.
The free, family-friendly event is scheduled for 1 p.m. Feb. 25 at Shoreline Village.
The parade will begin at 2:30 p.m. at the Nautilus Shell, 95 S. Pine Ave., make its way around Rainbow Harbor and end at Shoreline Village's Off Boardwalk Stage, where the celebration will continue. If groups, companies and organizations would like to participate, they can sign up at shorelinevillage.com.
This year, Mayor Rex Richardson will join the parade as the Mardi Gras king, and Andrea Sulsona, executive director for YMCA Early Childhood Education, will be queen.
Masks and beads will be sold at the event, and proceeds will go to the YMCA Early Childhood program, which includes preschool programs for family bonding, positive parenting skill-building and parental involvement opportunities.
“I'm happy to lead this year's Mardi Gras parade to show my support for early childhood education,” Richardson said in a statement. “Giving all children a great start in Long Beach is one way to ensure a brighter future for the whole city.”
The YMCA will use the funds to provide all of the children in the program with lifesaving swimming lessons, as well as the opportunity to spend a weekend at YMCA's Camp Oakes, Sulsona said.
“It's an honor to receive support for our YMCA early childhood education programs,” Sulsona said in a statement, “because if we lay a strong foundation when it matters most, children will have much better odds later in life.”
The festival's activities will include face painting and balloon animals for children until 4 p.m.
Entertainment will include live zydeco music (a French Creole genre that evolved in southwestern Louisiana), DJs, stilt walkers, samba dancers and more.
Organizers recommend visitors find alternative transportation options — such as ride shares, the free Passport Bus and the Circuit shuttle — on the day of the event because the Shoreline Village parking lot fills up fast.
Go to the Shoreline Village Facebook event page or shorelinevillage.com for a full schedule of the Mardi Gras events.
“It's a■ ho■or to receive support for our YMCA early childhood educatio■ programs, because if we lay a stro■g fou■datio■ whe■ it matters most, childre■ will have much better odds later i■ life.”
— Andrea Sulsona, executive director for YMCA Early Childhood Education