Mobile’s 62nd Camellia Ball Opens Mardi Gras Season in Monet-Inspired Style

MOBILE, Ala. — Mardi Gras season officially got underway in Mobile with the 62nd Camellia Ball, the traditional kickoff event hosted by the Mobile Carnival Association at Fort Whiting.

Roughly 1,500 guests filled the venue as the reception committee welcomed 30 young women making their formal Mobile debut, each dressed in the traditional pink ball gowns that have become a signature of the citywide celebration. The evening marked the first major formal event of the season, a role the Camellia Ball has played for the Mobile Carnival Association for more than six decades.

This year’s decorations drew inspiration from Claude Monet’s gardens at Giverny, transforming the venue into a water garden complete with a replica of the artist’s famous Japanese footbridge. Debutantes crossed the bridge as they were formally presented to guests, while florals and design details throughout the ballroom echoed Monet’s Impressionist palette. The celebration spilled into the courtyard as well, where tents and a pink carpet extended the garden theme beyond the main ballroom.

The elaborate décor was designed by Mobile Carnival Association design chairman Robison C. McClure and brought to life by Ron Barrett and Julia Greer of the design firm Barrett and Greer. Music came from two ensembles: Jubilation, a band from Mandeville, Louisiana, performed in the ballroom, while Bay City Brass of Mobile entertained guests in the courtyard. Fifty-four young serving girls circulated among attendees offering hors d’oeuvres throughout the evening.

Catering for the event was handled by Clifton Morrissette of Delta Fish House, while Showbiz Theatrical Services provided lighting and sound. The evening was documented by photographer Jeff Tesney and videographer Ron White of Wedding Media Group.

About the Mobile Carnival Association

The Mobile Carnival Association was formed in 1871 by businessmen and civic boosters to coordinate the activities of the city’s mystic societies, and it introduced the tradition of choosing a Carnival monarch, King Felix, each season. The ball’s namesake flower, the camellia, has been Alabama’s official state flower since 1959.