Monday, March 06, 2000
Mardi Gras crowd swells to 50,000
MainStrasse hosted event
BY SUSAN VELA
The Cincinnati Enquirer
COVINGTON — Big crowds at this weekend's homage to the Big Easy's Mardi Gras celebration could mean a big success for the MainStrasse Village Association.
About 50,000 people at tended its two-day event, enjoying New Orleans-style food, music and parades, plus MainStrasse's bars and restaurants, at the fifth annual Mardi Gras celebration. Only 30,000 were expected.
Marketing Director Kim Franzese credited Saturday's balmy temperatures for drawing so many people.
“It was exceptional,” she said. The crowds “exceeded all of our expectations. This (Mardi Gras) by far was the most successful we've had.”
The celebration kicked off Friday evening and ended at 1 a.m. Sunday. In between, the crowds enjoyed some of the same enticements offered at New Orleans' Mardi Gras — colorful parades and beads; hurricanes, Cajun food and zydeco tunes; and plenty of fun, fun, fun.
Friday's main draw was the Big Heads parade, which was a tribute to Charles Schulz, the beloved comic strip artist who penned “Peanuts” before his recent death. Papier-mache heads of Snoopy and Charlie Brown joined those of King Tut, Ken Griffey Jr., Pope John Paul II and the devil.
On Saturday, the hour-long Grande Parade had about 40 floats, walking Big Heads and costumed characters. It was double the size of last year's parade and provided about 20 more minutes of enjoyment.
The larger-than-expected crowds translated into longer lines at admission gates, music tents and food and drink booths. But Ms. Franzese said the celebration went off without any major hitches.
A few beer trucks ran out Saturday night. By then, the festival was almost over. “Nobody complained,” she said.
Mardi Gras 1999 generated about $50,000. Ms. Franzese expects more this year, perhaps $75,000.
The association works to promote MainStrasse and preserve its German history. It will use Mardi Gras proceeds to organize its other big events — Maifest and Oktoberfest — and tackle beautification projects throughout the village.
The association began celebrating Mardi Gras because members wanted MainStrasse to draw people off season.
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