First ever Ft. Morgan Mardi Gras Parade slated March 3

The first ever Fort Morgan Mardi Gras Parade is scheduled on Sunday, March 3 starting at 1 p.m. at the intersection of Tripletail Ln. and Ponce DeLeon Ct. The parade will trace 1.9 miles west along the Gulf of Mexico before turning north at the intersection of South Bernard Ct. and ending at Ft. Morgan Rd. (Hwy. 180).
The parade is the brainchild of Gayle Pierce, who first proposed the idea to her Ft. Morgan neighborhood facebook group and has since formed the Ft. Morgan Parading Society facebook group.
Pierce procured the permit and insurance for the parade along a scenic beachfront route that is perfect for showcasing Ft. Morgan’s off-the-grid laid back vibe to snowbirds.
“I was in parade groups for 12 years when I lived in Daphne. I live here full-time now, but I still have the mardi gras bug. I put it out there to see if anybody was interested and they were,’’ Pierce said. “I went around to different businesses asking for donations and we were able to come up with enough to pay for the whole parade just from people chipping in.’’
Three Ft. Morgan bistros, Tacky Jacks, Sassy Bass Amazin’ Grill and Behind The Pines, are all hosting post parade parties beginning at 2 p.m. featuring food and drink specials.
The inaugural parade will be limited to 30 participants between traditional and trailer floats, walking groups, golf carts and other vehicles.
“This first parade will be a learning experience. And it will be a good one. We’re not even sure how many floats can be handled at the staging area,’’ said Jay Weston, who will be parading with his wife Sharon in a black Mustang with a pirate theme.
“There were about 50 people at the last Ft. Morgan Civic Assn. meeting and all of them were super exited about it. There will be a learning curve, but I hope we have a decent turnout,’’ Weston added. “This is a small community and a gathering like this will help bring us together. It will also give the snowbirds something else to do. They love to stand out there and catch the beads.”
Pierce said the Ft. Morgan Volunteer Fire Dept., of which she is a member, will be integral to helping with traffic and safety concerns. Parade participants will circle back along the route to make sure there is no mess left behind.
Also part of the Share The Beach program, Pierce said that she and her fellow turtle watchers are planning to pack plenty of beads to throw.
“I want to thank all who have supported this to actually make it happen. We have a great little community and look forward to the celebration,’’ Pierce said. “Many thanks for all the support and donations.”
“Most of us attend mardi gras parades in other towns. There are not a lot of local residents out here,’’ Weston said.
“But as we saw from the 200 people that commented under Gayle’s facebook post, a vast majority of us love the idea.’’
For more info, call Weston at 251-609-3195