“We have done this since we were kids with our parents. We moved to Georgia but kept coming back for Mardi Gras every year.

“I moved back to Mobile, she still lives in Georgia.”

“We love the atmosphere and being with family. We will see most of the parades. We give everything away except the roasted peanuts and a few Moonpies. I used to love the penny candy they throw.”

“When we started, the floats were drawn by mules and they carried torches. They were flares. It was a little dangerous. They burned a hole in my dad’s suit.”

“Back then the big thing was to get a bead. Boxes of Cracker Jacks was big too. The Dragon parade was always good.”

“Our dad would get off work and we would be ready when he came home to get in the car and go to the parade. Mama and Daddy are dead now but we still come to close to the same spot to watch the parade. Now we bring out grandkids.”