The good times rolled in Vicksburg this week as thousands came out Saturday for the 16th annual Mardi Gras Parade.

As the parade traveled down Washington Street Jimmy Turner, and Margie Heltzel, who had been named the king and queen of the first River Revelers Masked Ball, were cheered on by the crowds.

Serving as grand marshal for the parade was Vicksburg native and New England Patriots football player Malcolm Butler.

“This is my first time to come to the parade and I came here to see Malcolm Butler,” parade goer Lulu Mau McDaniel said. “Malcolm Butler’s the man today.”
McDaniel was one of the many who arrived early for the parade to find the perfect spot to watch and have the least amount of competition for beads that were tossed from floats.

Danny Hearn Trucking won the best in show float award. Other winners included Sheffield Rentals, best in business; U.S. Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District, best nonprofit; Elks Lodge No. 95, best throws; Bluff Rehab & Health, most original; West Castle Club, most enthusiastic, Vicksburg Cruisers Car Club, best recreational; and Team Scooter, best civic club.

Following the parade, the Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation’s sixth annual Carnival de Mardi Gras and Gumbo Cook-off was held with an estimated 2,000 people coming out to listen to music from Legal Tender and sample the creations of gumbo from a variety of booths manned by casinos, restaurants and teams of friends who liked to cook.

S&M Smokers won the first-place trophy and the $200 cash prize in the non-seafood gumbo with Krewe de Chaos finishing second and Cajun Café taking third.  

In the seafood category, Roux Dawgs finished first, Rusty’s second and RiverWalk Casino third. RiverWalk also received the people’s choice award, while the Gumbo Pot won for best-decorated booth.