The Krewe De Tigris Mardi Gras Parade in Auburn was held Saturday February 26, 2022 in downtown Auburn. Magnolia Street was marked off for the display of the parade’s floats.
Krewe De Tigris is a local social organization founded in 2016. Its purpose is to bring the community together with special emphasis on the Mardi Gras holiday.
According to KrewedeTigris.com, “The selection of focus on the Mardi Gras season is to celebrate the history of the state of Alabama where the current practice of the Mardi Gras celebration began.”
Its website mentioned the celebration of Mardi Gras in Alabama began in 1703.
The organization’s mission statement explains its purpose in the community: “The Krewe is organized and operated for the pleasure and recreation of its members, extending to the community at large."
For today's Mardi Gras celebration, the streets of downtown Auburn were flooded with people coming together to celebrate the holiday.
“I thought it was really fun seeing the whole community get together and spending time with my friends,” said Rebecca Friday, junior in elementary education.
The parade featured different businesses, organizations and skillful locals tossing colorful beads and other knick-knacks to the audience members.
“The parade was super fun," said Abby Anderson, sophomore in kinesiology. "I’ve never been to Mardi Gras so it was super cool to experience it with all of my friends in Auburn. All of the floats were very creative and it was very fun trying to catch all of the beads and moon pies."
Many floats and parade participants were dressed in tiger masks and orange and black striped clothing. One float featured Aubie. According to Krewe De Tigris, the tiger represents power, passion and a fierce spirit.
“It was so fun to stand on Toomer’s Corner with friends and see all the floats, trying to get some beads," said Olivia Burns, junior in graphic design. "I loved seeing the city of Auburn come together and enjoy Mardi Gras on such a beautiful day."
According to History.com, the French word "Mardi" translates to Tuesday while the French word "Gras" translates to fat, hence why the holiday is also referred to as Fat Tuesday. Traditionally, the holiday was celebrated indulging in fatty foods before the season of Lent or fasting began. Mardi Gras also celebrates the upcoming spring season and is most popular in Brazil, Venice, Italy and New Orleans.
As stated on the Krewe De Tigris website, “The parade is intended to bring together and improve relations between various factions of the community that would not otherwise intermingle on a social level such as community leaders, business owners, residents and students of Auburn University (in such a way as to not interfere with policies and practices of the University."
This free event was open to all ages for families and friends to celebrate the Mardi Gras holiday with food, shopping and community.
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Becca Benner, senior in public relations with a minor inmarketing, is a culture writer at The Auburn Plainsman.
