Mardi Gras 2019 officially got rolling in Mobile on Friday night, as the Conde Cavaliers paraded through downtown as the first mystic society of the season to take the streets.
The parade rolled at 6:30 p.m. along the traditional Route A corridor, drawing crowds of families and revelers ready to catch beads, cups and moon pies after a carnival season of pre-dawn ball seasons and float-building.
Float riders added a game within the parade this year: members aboard one float listened for a secret code word shouted from the crowd — and anyone who hit it could count on an extra shower of good throws coming their way.
The Conde Cavaliers, one of Mobile’s longtime parading societies, have traditionally held the honor of opening the downtown parade schedule. Their Friday night run set the stage for weeks of parades leading up to Fat Tuesday, when Mobile — the home of America’s original Mardi Gras — celebrates the season’s grand finale.