For many years, Love Works participated in Mardi Gras parades in Lafayette and Lake Charles, LA. We set-up a mini-city with tents, tables, chairs, private toilet, huge cooking burners, campers and our own water supply and opened this celebration to our employees, good friends, and loyal customers.
There was something cooking every day, from gumbo, to etouffee, to sauce picante to jambalaya. And if nothing was cooking at that moment, we could always scrounge up a sandwich or hot dog for our visitors!
Although Mardi Gras is rich in cultural significance, it is a time of celebration. It Louisiana, that means partying. Although Louisiana’s residents are already known to be the friendliest in the United States, Mardi Gras gives people “carte blanc” or unlimited permission to be everyone’s friend, and introduce themselves to every person they encounter. Until you have experience the enveloping atmosphere of Mardi Gras, words just don’t do it justice.
We built our own “float” (the parade vehicle), with specially designed racks in the middle to hold all the ice chests we needed to keep food and drink iced down. As part of the annual tradition, we bought “party sandwiches” from Subway (those 4-foot subs!). We also iced down cases of small water bottles and gave these free to the police officers standing in the hot sun all day keeping traffic moving, and crowds at a safe distance.
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Our “throws” included beads of every type, from the “cheapies” to the coveted beads! T-shirts by the hundred were thrown. Koozies and other items imprinted with the “LoveWorks” logo were thrown. This was Love Works time to shine and we wanted everyone to see us!
It was a great time, that we all looked forward to all year! And made plans for all year! But sad as it is true, I got older, and orchestrating this event became less and less fun. I stopped participating in parades a few years later, and still miss them to this day!