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Parade at a past Mardi Gras celebration. (Leesburg Partnership / February 16, 2011) |
LEESBURG — In its 17th year, the Leesburg Mardi Gras will add teen heartthrobs to its successful mix of family-friendly daylight hours to party-hearty nights.
"I don't know why Disney chose us but it's a great partnership for us," said Joe Shipes, executive vice president of the Leesburg Partnership, referring to Radio Disney Orlando's appearance. "And the best news is that we are expecting beautiful weather."
The Mardi Gras Party in the Street will take place Saturday along Main Street.
At Fourth Street revelers will find New Orleans-style food, such as crawfish, po-boys, jambalaya and beignets, live jazz and more vendors. The area, which will wrap around to Towne Square, also will include a bar with New Orleans drinks, such as hurricanes, fortune tellers and vendors selling feather boas, hats and jewelry.
Headlining the evening's entertainment will be popular Sumter County band Justin Heet, which will play from 9 to 11 p.m. in Towne Square.
Three parades mark the day, with Ronald McDonald kicking off the party at 11 a.m., riding a fire engine to lead the Kids Masquerade Parade on Main Street. Check-in begins at 10 a.m. with prizes for best costumes by age group, best group and best float.
Pets take over the parade route at 2 p.m. with look-alike pets and owners, a popular competition. Check-in begins at 1 p.m. with prizes for floats big and small, small pets, large pets and most creative costume. For applications and rules for both parades, see leesburgmardigras.com.
The Main St. Parade — featuring Kid Dutch and the Perseverance Brass Band and beads, beads and beads — begins at 7 p.m.
Joining the stilt-walkers and the fire-eaters will again be the event's trade-mark jugglers.
Music for the younger set begins at 12:30 p.m. when boy-band The Vamps from Radio Disney will play on the main stage in Towne Square.
More Radio Disney takes over the stage at 1:15 p.m. with Becky G.
"We are expecting at least 6,000 screaming kids," said Shipes, whose organization puts on the event.
Beautiful Bobby Blackmon will change the mood, playing jazz and rhythm-and-blues, beginning at 3 p.m.
In the past few years, the all-day event has drawn as many as 30,000 people.
For more information, see leesburgmardigras.com or call 352-365-0053.
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