By day's end, even my boyfriend was won over. He marveled at the friendliness of his fellow riders and at the fortitude of their hard-drinking souls, and began to cheer for a young rider whose skills won him a number of chickens. Once, he even chased after a chicken, if only for a short run.
A little after 4 p.m., after miles of riding and one injury (a horse riled up and dropped a rider on his head), the Mardi Gras riders returned on horses and the drunk wagon to the center of town for a street dance. Residents and tourists lined the sides of Sixth Street, cheering them on. They converged under the one stoplight in town, where the band played a few songs in their honor.
We left the party to go back to the hall we started at for bowls of gumbo. As we walked away, we heard the strains of the accordion and the cheers of the revelers as they danced once more, hours before the fasting of Lent would descend.
Angela Rozas writes for the Chicago Tribune.
IF YOU GO
GETTING THERE
BWI Marshall Airport has flights to both Baton Rouge, La., (a 1 1/2 -hour drive away from Mamou) and New Orleans (a three-hour drive). Renting a car is a must, though a few determined travelers have been known to show up in Mamou on bicycle.
MAMOU'S MARDI GRAS
The event:
Starts the Saturday (Feb. 2 this year) before Mardi Gras, with a variety of Cajun and zydeco bands on tap through Tuesday (Feb. 5). The biggest acts play Monday night, and in the past often featured local-boys-made-good Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys. At about dawn Tuesday morning, the riders for the courir gather at the American Legion Hall on Main Street. You can meet them there and follow by car into the countryside. Mardi Gras ends with the return of the riders, usually about 4 p.m., for a short parade down Sixth Street.
Tips:
Make sure your gas tank is full and pack a lunch -- there are no gas stations along the route, which takes about eight hours. Make sure to buy a bowl of the communal town gumbo at the American Legion Hall before you leave.
DINING
Mamou's festival features home-grown delicacies for sale, including boudin (pronounced boo-dehn), a spicy Cajun sausage made with rice and pork, and the Mardi Gras Association sells gumbo on the day of the holiday in the center of town. Several school and charity organizations also set up alcohol and food booths on the evenings of the dances and on Mardi Gras day.
Frenchie's:
