GRAND MARAIS, La. — It's no secret that Mardi Gras is Louisiana's "thing" — and while it's a BIG deal in Acadiana, perhaps no one does it bigger than Grand Marais — and in the most literal sense of the word, too.
"Everyone knows when New Year's comes around, when New Year's is over, it's time for Mardi Gras, time to kick it into high gear," says Jordan Grogan, a lifelong resident of the small, unincorporated community in Iberia Parish. A member of the "Unknown" Mardi Gras Club, he and his fellow members work their Mardi Gras magic to bring Carnival season to life through creative costumes in different categories, taking inspiration from The Big Easy.
"We have the ugly, we have bedon, we have most original, we have pretty bedon, it's just so many people are involved, so many clubs are involved, it's not just us," Grogan says. "It's a community deal and I think everyone gets excited because it's kind of our thing and it's different from everyone else."
Still, it's no simple feat. Whether it be masks, faux ostrich feathers, gemstones, beads, or sequins, it's a vision that starts from the bare bones.
"A collar like this weighs 40 to 50 pounds," Grogan tells me. "It's typically just wire, we typically don't have the time to build that, but once we get that, everything else is on us."
And "everything else" can come at a cost — sometimes to the tune of $11,000 to $13,000. Each costume takes hours, days, even months to plan and execute before being showcased in a local competition. But for those that call Grand Marais home, they are efforts that don't go to waste and instead, help preserve local culture, camaraderie, and tradition.
"When I tell you that these people here have just absolute talent and creativity, I cannot put a word on it, but it's unreal," says Marilyn Olivier, secretary of the local Mardi Gras Association. "The only way you can see it for yourself is if you actually come here and view it for yourself."
And you can do just that by heading out to Grand Marais for the community's Mardi Gras parade on Sunday, February 11, at 1:00 p.m.
Happy Mardi Gras!
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