Float Fantasia

People who do not live in a Mardi Gras town may never understand those who do. It is not merely another parade or festival. In Galveston, it is part of the islander identity. Throw-beads (especially the good ones) are a permanent fixture of living room décor. Real Christmas trees are no longer purchased, not for the environment (added bonus), but because they have to be redecorated in green, gold, and purple and last until March.

Since Mardi Gras is such an important part of Galveston, the spirit of Galveston should be well-represented in the public celebrations. This is the argument that permeates larger controversies such as the opposition to a gated festival. To some locals, it does not seem very “Galveston-like” to allow a private company to charge admission onto a public street for what is supposed to be a community-led festival while simultaneously robbing the businesses on that street of revenue.

But other defining aspects of Galveston Mardi Gras that are not controversial in the least still deserve the same approach, and under the radar, one Galveston Krewe has remedied a long-held, glaring oversight in the production of the festival. Even though recent additions of the Golf Cart Parade and the Jeep Parade helped to infuse local flavor into the public celebrations, local influence has been notably absent from the major parades.

Until 2020, when the Knights of Momus made a seemingly obvious decision that was in fact a huge step towards ensuring that Galveston’s Mardi Gras celebrations are not a New Orleans knock-off but a distinct reflection of the island’s uniqueness. The Krewe that is island-famous for its high-profile members including Tilman Fertitta and the late George P. Mitchell, became the first Galveston Krewe to employ local Galveston artists to design, construct, and paint their floats for their Grand Night Parade.

A substantial community of artists has resided in Galveston for decades, and in the last ten years, the Arts have become a well-known, integral aspect of the downtown cityscape. Visual arts have made a distinct impression in that time, with a proliferation of art galleries on almost every street of downtown.

Despite this, for decades the creation of Mardi Gras parade floats has been entirely outsourced, primarily to artists from New Orleans according to local artist and float builder Katie Embesi. This year for the second time (Mardi Gras 2021 was cancelled), the stunning talents of Galveston’s own will be on display in one of Galveston’s grandest parades.

Although it is not the longest parade (that honor belongs to the Mystic Krewe of Aquarius and Krewe of Gambrinus parades), the Grand Night Parade is considered a “must see.” It typically draws one of the largest audiences since it travels the length of 25th Street (outside the gated area) and holds a prime-time slot—6pm on the second Saturday of Mardi Gras! Galveston. The parade also has a different theme each year and features premiere “throws” and trinkets in addition to an avalanche of beads, some of which are custom made to reflect the theme.

Thus, it is the perfect platform to display Galveston’s unique flare and introduce revelers to the spectacular talent of Galveston artists. Most importantly, the Knights of Momus has brilliantly evolved their long, storied legacy into something incredibly relevant to today’s local identity and festival, and their prominence is poised to lead the way for all parades to become a blank canvas for local brushes.