MARDI GRAS 2022 PRESS RELEASE
Let’s Mardi Gras Lafayette!
The Greater Southwest Louisiana Mardi Gras Association is thrilled to announce that Mardi Gras is back in Lafayette. Greater Southwest is making final plans to roll with its full complement of parades including the Friday night Kick-off parade honoring our Covid Heroes!
Trey Hightower, President of Greater Southwest, announces that the Covid Heroes Parade will roll at 6.30 pm on Friday, February 25, 2022, and will kick-off the Mardi Gras weekend. The parade will follow Lafayette’s traditional parade route starting at Pontiac Point and ending at Cajun Field. Robert Kallam, organizer and chairperson of the Covid Heroes Parade reports that Greater Southwest is pleased to present this parade along with the generous support of the following sponsors: Acadian Companies, VieMed, Kean Miller LLP, LHC Group, Bead Busters/Beads Galore, Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center, MacLaff Inc and Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center. Kallam confirmed that the parade will feature 9 marching bands, law enforcement and fire vehicles/units and at least 12 floats with COVID Heroes throwing Mardi Gras beads, throws and other items from the following participant organizations: Nursing Specialties, Inc (NSI), Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns football and other sports teams, Mayor-President Josh Guillory, Lafayette Convention and Tourism, Acadian Companies, VieMed, Bead Busters/Beads Galore and Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center.
Hightower and Kallam urge the community to line the parade route with posters, banners and/or other signage honoring and/or thanking our Covid Heroes as well as those who have lost their lives to this Covid during the past few years. Greater Southwest feels that this parade and the community support which they know will follow is one small way for Acadiana to say “thank you” to those who have sacrificed so much over the last few years and to allow them to have a much needed break and a little bit of fun that they have not experienced during this crisis!
Hightower once again announced The Greater Southwest Louisiana Mardi Gras Association Mardi Gras parade line up is as follows:
- Friday, February 25, 2022
Kick-off Parade honoring our COVID Heroes, 6:30 pm - Saturday, February 26, 2022
“Children’s” Parade, Lafayette, 2:00 p.m. (featuring Krewe of Camelot, Krewe d’Amusement, Krewe des Jeunes Amis, Krewe of Versailles, Krewe of Troubadours, and Krewe of Oberon)
Krewe of Bonaparte Parade, Lafayette, 6:30 pm - Monday, February 28, 2022
Monday Night Parade Honoring Queens Evangeline LXXXII and LXXXIII, Lafayette, 6:00 pm
(featuring Krewe of Triton, Krewe of Attakapas, Krewe of Xanadu, Krewe of Victoria, Krewe of Troubadours, Krewe d’Argent, Krewe of Bon Amis, Krewe de Rendevous, Krewe of Karencro, Krewe of Apollo, and Krewe of Olympus) - Tuesday, March 1, 2022
King Gabriel’s Parade, Lafayette, 10:00 am
Lafayette Mardi Gras Festival Parade, Lafayette, 1:00 pm
Independent Parade, Lafayette, 2:30 pm
Greater Southwest Pageant and Grand Ball, 8 pm (Heymann Performing Arts Center)
Finally, Greater Southwest is excited to announce the return of Le Festival de Mardi Gras á Lafayette at Cajun Field! The Festival will run from Friday, February 25th through March 1, 2022. Le Festival will feature a new carnival with the newest, most exciting rides along with a new, more convenient, and spacious layout. This year’s entertainment will feature Lainey Wilson, Wayne Toups, The Chee-Weez, Three Thirty Seven, L.A. Roxx, Clay Cormier, Lil’ Nate and many more surprise artists!
This year’s Mardi Gras celebration could not be possible without the tremendous efforts of our local authorities and the City of Lafayette. The Association is pleased to have the support of the City of Lafayette to bring back Mardi Gras to Lafayette bigger and better than ever. In anticipation of increased participation for this year’s anticipated celebration, please contact us via email at [email protected] to reserve your spot in the Kick-off Parade and/or the Independent Parade today!
In order to reserve a spot for the best and safest RV location for enjoying both the parades and the festival entertainment, please visit gomardigras.com and scroll down to RV Registration. You will find all of the info you need there, including spot availability and prices. Should you have any issues, feel free to contact Chris Foreman ([email protected]; or 337-280-0673).
Finally, if you wish to help fund our efforts to make this year’s Mardi Gras the best ever, you can donate ONLINE at our website: www.gomardigras.com ~ scroll down to the bottom, and click on the Yellow Donations link to input your dollar amount, and pay with PayPal or your debit/credit card. We also accept personal/business checks by mail to PO Box 51347, Lafayette, LA 70505. Remember to let us know how to list your name(s) on the Sponsor Page in the official Mardi Gras Program and/or on other advertising items.
About Us
The Greater Southwest Louisiana Mardi Gras Association (“GSW”) has organized safe and family friendly Mardi Gras parades in Lafayette for 86 years, since 1934. Today over 20 Krewes are recognized under the GSW “umbrella.” The Greater Southwest Louisiana Mardi Gras Association serves as a liaison between agencies of the Lafayette Consolidated Government, the Lafayette Sheriff’s Department, and other public bodies and all Krewes that are under the GSLMGA umbrella in coordinating their needs.
The Association not only coordinates and stages the parades, but presents the City Ball on Mardi Gras night. The City Ball is open to the public with no admission fee. The Association also produces and coordinates Le Festival de Mardi Gras a Lafayette at Cajun Field with carnival rides and games, a wide variety of live music, great Cajun food. The parades roll right through the festival site so everyone can enjoy all Mardi Gras has to offer at one convenient location.