Long Beach held an early Mardi Gras celebration at Shoreline Village from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, March 1.
The event’s parade began near Gladstone’s, a seafood restaurant at Rainbow Harbor, and made its way to Shoreline Village.
Many of the costumes for the parade were provided by Bianca’s Historic Costumes, a local historical costume business run by Bianca and Peter Sovich.
Bianca Sovich, a former LBCC student, stated that her business has been part of Shoreline Village’s Mardi Gras event for nearly 15 years.
Her booth was set up just outside the Queen Mary Couture gift shop and featured two performers with mermaid fins.
“They were helping me so I could walk in the parade this year,” said Bianca Sovich about the mermaids.
Leading the parade was a drum line called LEGACY Syncopated Thunder, composed of former members of the Long Beach Junior Concert Band.
The event featured four DJs, character performers, and local restaurants such as Louisiana Charlie’s and the Funnel House.
At the Off-Boardwalk Theatre stage, Indigo Goddess Flow, a female hoop dancing troupe, and the Zydeco Mudbugs, a local zydeco band, entertained attendees.
Nirvana (left) and Tiny of Indigo Goddess Flow (right) present a hula hoop show at the Mardi Gras Festival in Shoreline Village. (Katherine Jackson)
One of the Zydeco Mudbugs’ members, Troy Guillory, played a unique instrument called a square board, a wearable washboard-like instrument.
“It’s a little bit bigger than a washboard, and the suit was custom made in a steel shop,” said Sanborn.
“They gave it to me to wear this time cause I’m the rhythm expert,” said Guillory, later revealing that it was not fitted for him, but for the band’s accordion player, David Sousa.
Most activities for the event ended by 5 p.m., with the exception of DJ Impeccable Styles, who was scheduled until 9 p.m.