Harlan Kirgan
Chilly weather marked the 2019 Mardi Gras, but the spirit of the event seemed to ward off any idea it was too cold to celebrate.
Mardi Gras broke with a temperature dipping to around 30 degrees with a brisk wind and even though the sun was shining the thermometer struggled to hit 50 degrees by the time the Courir de Mardi Gras rolled into Eunice about 3 p.m.
There 850 to 900 people registered in what was believed to be the 123rd Courir de Mardi Gras, Pat Frey, captain, said.
There were 60 horses in the run, down from a usual of 100 to 150 in recent years, he said. But the number of horseback riders is substantially down from the days when up to 800 riders on horses would run the Eunice Mardi Gras.
Frey said there was a good crowd even though there 40 trailers out of 55 available for the run.
“That’s a low count for us,” he said.
The chilly temperatures may have lowered the number of people involved in the run.
Eunice Mayor Scott Fontenot said the Mardi Gras crowds were good every day for the celebration that started Friday evening.
The weather forecast for the days leading up to Mardi Gras was daunting for a party that mainly occurs on the street.
The adverse forecast was mainly low temperatures and wind, but Sunday was the only day where storms threatened.
The storm weather struck in the morning and an annual boucherie weathered that event.
“It was another good successful Mardi Gras,” he said.
“It went well considering the weather.”
There were many people from out of town over the five-day celebration, he said.
“It was really neat. They really thought it was nice, clean Mardi Gras,” he said of visitor reaction.
“It is pretty exciting to know that those people come to your town and they leave with a good taste in their mouth,” he said.
The crowd was treated to an added band on Mardi Gras, which was supposed to close with Steve Riley. Instead with donations, the closing band was Leroy Thomas and the Zydeco Road Runners.
Police Chief Randy Fontenot said there were no serious incidents involving the Mardi Gras.
“It was very peaceful. The people in attendance were well behaved this year,” he said.