Fairport preps for 76th Annual Mardi Gras

Fairport Harbor’s favorite fiveday festival is just a few days away.

That’s right, it’s Mardi Gras time again and the festivities are set to commence June 30 at 7 p.m. with the event’s trademark parade through town.

As usual, last year’s parade, which marked the commencement of the festival’s 75th year, brought visitors from near and far to Fairport Harbor.

Mentor resident Tori Tarantino and her boyfriend, Lyndhust resident Bryan Panzero came last year and said they had a great time.

“I dragged him here because I like it and it’s been a while since

I’ve been able to make it over here for it,” Tarantino said.

Panzero said it was a welcome change of pace after having been among the crowd of some 1.3 million Cleveland Cavaliers fans who converged upon downtown Cleveland last year around this time to cheer on the then-NBA champs.

“It’s a lot different than downtown last week, there’s no doubt about that,” he said. “This is a lot quieter, more laid back. You get a chance to enjoy it more and take your time here.”

Mardi Gras Committee President Jim Cardina said this year’s fest is set to feature the same family-friendly fun and entertainment it’s become known for over the last 75 years.

“It’s kind of geared toward families — the rides, games and food,” he said in a June 23 phone interview.

He added that this is the second year the event will have a day dedicated to veterans.

“We have a veterans day, which started last year,” he said. “We had about 200 motorcycles that went to the (Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center), then escorted a bus full of veterans back to Fairport.”

He said this year, all veterans and their families are invited.

“Any veteran can come,” he said. “They’ll be served free hot dogs and other things at the entertainment garden.”

Cardina also said the Mardi Gras’ signature raffle has taken on a new format, with a single $5,000 grand prize, as opposed to five monetary prizes of varying value, as was the case in years past.

“We used to have five different prizes,” he said. “But, we figured, we were just barely clearing enough to pay for it, so we’d try something a little different.”

Tickets, which are available at $5 each or three for $10, will be sold throughout the five days of Mardi Gras, with the drawing after the fireworks July 4.

Another of the festival’s fixtures — Painesville Municipal Court Judge Michael Cicconetti, who has served as its emcee over the last two decades — said he plans to pass the torch after this year’s Mardi Gras.

“I say it every year,” Cicconetti said in a June 23 phone interview. “But I kind of feel like this really will be my last year doing it.”

He said that, with all of its responsibilities, emceeing the parade and its associated events, “it’s a long day.”

He said between being in the parade, himself, announcing all of the units which follow, introducing each Mardi Gras Queen contestant, along with the previous year’s winner, and entertaining the crowd as the judges decide on the current year’s winner, it’s a lot of work.

He said it’s usually at least 10:30 p.m. by the time he gets done fulfilling his duties.

“It’s a full day’s work,” he said.

From the sound of it, though, this may be his last year as the parade’s emcee but Mardi Gras will likely always be a part of his summer.

“It’s fun,” he said. “Most of the time, it’s almost like a class reunion, family reunion and old friends reunion al in one because everybody goes to Mardi Gras. I went when I was a kid. My kids went. My siblings are there and we even watch the parade from he same spot, in front of the library, that we’ve been watching it from for 40 years now. It’s a tradition.”

He added that that’s one thing the world needs to mind these days — tradition.

“I think one of our ills as a society today is that we just too easily discard tradition,” he said.

Cardina said the attractions are open through 11 p.m., June 30 to July 3, and until around midnight July 4.

He said everything is in place for a good time for all, unless the weather doesn’t cooperate.

“We just hope everybody comes and enjoys five days of fun and that there’s good weather,” he said.

Visit Mardi Gras’ Facebook page for up-to-the-minute news and updates from the festival’s organizers.