TEXARKANA, Ark. - The Tuesday morning announcement that Texarkana's Mardi Gras celebration was saved means Texarkana will, to coin a Cajun French phrase, "laissez les bon temps rouler" come Saturday, Feb. 22.
Whether it's with adults or younger ones, the beloved parades will roll, flowing with that special Mardi Gras spirit.
A shared vision for community involvement brought HealthCARE Express, Texarkana Radio and Precision Roll Grinders together to make it all happen, said Brooke Stone, community educator at HealthCARE Express. That commitment means a popular festival, once thought doomed for lack of sponsorship, will live.
The city reached out to HealthCARE Express because of their ability to put big events together successfully, Stone said. "Right from the get-go, we were really excited to be a part of it," she said.
Brainstorming followed, plus a meeting with Texarkana Radio and its leadership.
"Our visions and our goals really lined up," Stone said.
They were confident Texarkana Radio could be a strong partner. Precision Roll Grinders is backing the event with monetary support.
So what's all happening this day? It starts with an 8:30 a.m. 5K, reflecting one sponsor's healthcare interest - HealthCARE Express-owned The Sportsplex.
"One of our main goals and missions of the company is to keep Texarkana and our surrounding area healthy," Stone said.
After the 5K run, Front Street Festival Plaza will open and showcase the Children's Mardi Gras Parade around 10 a.m. with a Disney theme.
Who's the Disney princess leading the festivities?
Naturally enough, Princess Tiana from the movie "The Princess and the Frog," a charming Disney movie that takes place in Louisiana.
"She'll be there helping lead the way," Stone said.
Kids can decorate their favorite vehicles - from a wagon to motorized car or a bicycle - in Disney style and share the Mardi Gras spirit as they participate in this parade. It's a chance for kids to have their special Mardi Gras moment.
A Kid's Carnival follows with STEAM-themed activities - science, technology, engineering, art and math - giving youngsters some educational, fun projects to enjoy in the grassy area near Front Street, crafts and Princess Tiana meet-and-greet included. Mask making and beads are also possible. HealthCARE Express also plans to hold a health fair at the same time, featuring medical professionals, Sportsplex representative and more.
Over on the paved area of the plaza, food and arts vendors provide everyone a chance to taste Mardi Gras while live music is performed. Vendor booths are available for $25 with funds raised dedicated to Harvest Texarkana.
"We really are excited to have some local, Louisiana cuisine there," Stone said. "To really round out it being Mardi Gras, as well as some local food vendors from Texarkana."
It's also $25 to register for the gumbo cook-off, the winner to receive a $500 prize. "We encourage everyone. If you think you've got a great gumbo and it's special and unique, we really encourage everyone to come out and participate in that," Stone said.
The centerpiece of Mardi Gras festivities is the Roaring Twenties-themed parade starting at 3 p.m. Organizers encourage both community members and businesses to join for a $5 registration fee. Prizes are possible here, too: $1,000 to the best community float, or a $2,500 Texarkana Radio deal for the best business float.
"We want it to be on theme. We just want people to really be creative with it. We will be judging for it so we're looking for how much creativity was put into it, are they on theme and just the effort put into it. We would love to see some really great, big floats," Stone said. "They encourage people to "go all out."
Attending all of the regular Mardi Gras events is free to public. Organizers want good times without breaking the bank, Stone said. Everything should finish by 4 p.m. at this kid-friendly, family-friendly event.
The Mardi Gras event won't have a beer garden or alcohol, but the Front Street Festival Plaza does fall within the city's entertainment district.
"We love giving back to the community as a company as a whole. We're really involved with anything the community has going on, so that was one of the biggest reasons we wanted to do this," Stone said.
Also, they aim to be part of the buzz going on downtown, and she said Texarkana Radio has the same vision, too.
For more information and registration, be on the lookout for an event website posted to the HealthCARE Express and Texarkana Radio pages on Facebook. Stone said they expect it to be ready at the end of this week.
(For questions, contact Brooke Stone or Angela Evans at HealthCARE Express: 903-791-9355.)