Residents of Stone Mountain kicked off their Mardi Gras celebrations a day early this year, with an umbrella parade and dance taking over downtown on Saturday. The event, which started at 2 p.m. on 3rd Street, echoed the traditional New Orleans revelry, complete with school bands, professional musicians and dancers. According to AOL.com, there was no shortage of beads, floats and live music, alongside a variety of food and drinks for the festive crowd.
The city's mayor, Dr. Beverly Jones, made a cameo, partaking in the festivities that eventually sprawled into a massive street party in the Municipal parking lot. Captured by FOX 5 Photojournalist Billy Heath, the vibrant scenes of revelers under the bright Georgia sky were a testament to the community's spirit and its affinity for the Mardi Gras tradition. "Residents of Stone Mountain brought it back to the Big Easy," as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta, marking the event as a high point in the city's social calendar.
Mardi Gras excitement continues throughout the Atlanta area with a variety of events leading up to Fat Tuesday. Underground Atlanta hosted a 'Mardi Gras in ATL' event on Feb. 10, while 'Mardi Gras Live' took place at The Battery Atlanta, as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta. ATL's locals and visitors could also partake in a bar crawl ending at 11 p.m, at Brewdog Atlanta.
On Feb. 11, D'juan's New Orleans Bistro and Glover Park Brewery both hosted Mardi Gras themed celebrations, extending the weekend's festive atmosphere. For those looking to merge the romantic with the raucous, The Gifted Ferret in Woodstock offered a Valentine's slash Mardi Gras Sip & Paint event. As Feb. 13 approaches, more events like the "Biggest 'FAT TUESDAY' Mardi Gras Party In ATL" are scheduled to keep the Mardi Gras spirit alive, according to details from AOL.com.
