by James Coulter
Put on your best purple and gold outfit. Get ready to toss and catch beads. And let the good times roll at the Lake Wales Mardi Gras this weekend.
The festivities begin on Fri. Feb. 28, 2025 at 6 PM at Lake Wailes Park. When the sun goes down, the tunes get pumped up with live music performed by local musicians. Also, see the night light up with the 5K Glow Run around the shores of scenic Lake Wailes.
The party continues the next day on Sat. Mar. 1 with live music, food trucks, arts and crafts vendors, and, of course, the big parade. The route travels through Downtown Lake Wales along Stuart, Central, and Park Avenue before making its way down Lakeshore Boulevard to the park.
For more than 40 years, this annual celebration has grown to become the largest Mardi Gras celebration in Central Florida, drawing in thousands of attendees each year. You’d have to visit New Orleans for a bigger, livelier celebration.
Joshua Curchy, President of the Lake Wales Mardi Gras Committee, has helped helm the event for many years. Being able to see his hard work and that of his krewes pay off with hundreds and thousands of smiling faces more than makes his involvement worthwhile.
“It’s just bringing people together,” Curchy said. “Everybody’s there for the same reason: to unwind [and] to have some fun. It’s tough these days. Everybody has their ideals and opinions about the world, and it seems like we can just let that go for a coupleof days and have some fun. Everybody comes together and we are all there for a common goal: listen to music, eat some great food, watch the parade, and have a good time.
For more information about Lake Wales Mardi Gras, visit their website at: https://www.lwmardigras.com
Joshua Curchy recently appeared on the Chattin on the Ridge podcast to discuss the upcoming celebration. Listen to the full episode on Acast: https://shows.acast.com/chattin-on-the-ridge/episodes/ep-54-let-the-good-times-roll-at-mardi-gras-wjoshua-curchy
