Pork Chop The Safety Pig doles out treats from the Yellow Jacket float during last year's Fat Tuesday Parade.
Tuesday is Mardi Gras, a decadent, masquerade-laden celebration of sin before absolution on Ash Wednesday. It is fitting then that it will also be the day that Valley dwellers (and residents of 23 other states) will engage in politics. Yes, the stars have aligned and Mardi Gras and Super Tuesday will both fall on Feb. 5, 2008. Now vice and politics have never been mutually exclusive, but rarely has the association been so pointed. So what’s an Eagle Valley resident to do, parties or primaries? Well, why not both…
Vail’s “CarniVail” celebration has been bringing that New Orleans swing, Mask-erade Parties and crawfish boils to the Village and the Mountain since Sunday, but things really get cooking Tuesday with the Street Party and Vail’s famous Fat Tuesday Parade. Festivities kick off at 2 p.m. with the Street Party featuring the New Orleans Mardi Gras All Stars and will continue right up until 5 p.m. when the Fat Tuesday Parade begins. The Fat Tuesday Parade is the highlight of Vail’s Mardi Gras celebration. Several local businesses steer ornate floats up Bridge Street and shower crowds with treats, and at the end of the affair, one of three lucky local couples will be named Vail’s Mardi Gras King and Queen for 2008. For more information on CarniVail, head to www.carnivail.net.
The Fat Tuesday festivities should wrap up around 6 p.m. and that’s good news for you, because, if you’re so inclined, it’s time to head down Valley for some politics in action. Eagle County Democrats will need to head to the Eagle County Building which is located, surprisingly, in Eagle to caucus. Check in time is at 6:30 p.m. Eagle County Republicans have many more locations throughout the Valley to caucus, the closest being the Vail Public Library (located next to Dobson Arena) and the Eagle-Vail Pavilion in Eagle-Vail. Check in time for these caucuses is a 6 p.m. For more information on Eagle County’s caucuses, check out www.eaglecounty.us.
So, any amount of sin, celebration and politics are readily available to you this Fat Tuesday. Choose wisely and, as always, moderation in all things.
Enjoy Plum’s coverage of Vail’s 2007 Fat Tuesday Parade below.
Video
A little bit of New Orleans comes to the Valley! The people of Vail lined the sidewalks of Bridge Street for the Village's Mardi Gras Celebration where a king and queen were crowned, beads were thrown, and locals "In It For Tim" rocked into the night.
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