Clear skies, smooth launch: Valero parade catches a sunny break

Published 11:32 am Saturday, March 2, 2019

 

By Ken Stickney

ken.stickney@panews.com

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Barbara Phillips loves to see her co-workers board the Valero float at Mardi Gras.

But on Friday night, she saw something even more welcome along the seawall before the Valero Krewe of Krewes Parade: Blue sky.

“I’m really happy to see the sunshine today,” she said. “We’ve been out before in the rain, although the sun usually seems to come out or the rain stops.”

Not last year, of course, when the Valero parade set off into the Friday night mist.

Not Thursday night, when rain forced cancelation of the Lamar State College Port Arthur Parade, on the first of four days of scheduled parades.

Phillips said Valero employees have been part of Mardi Gras since it started in Port Arthur, 27 years back.

“It’s something we want to do with our employees, who volunteer for so many things with the community. We always get a lot of help with our float.”

Cathy Cooper with the Krewe de Cameaux has also been part of Mardi Gras since it started. Her father, Elvin Cooper, was with the Sertoma Club that helped by investing in Mardi Gras “from the get-go,” she said.

For nine years, she and Mark Solis were duchess and duke for the Krewe of Aurora. Her daughter, Angel, and son in law, Justin Swain, were king and queen for the Krewe of Cameaux in 2018.

“Every year, this is like a family thing. I see people I graduated with in high school in 1979,” she said.

There’s more to a parade than floats, of course. Spectators and vendors were lining the streets before the Krewe of Krewes launched Friday night.

At Trinity Lutheran Church, 2400 Fifth St., volunteers set up their spot for selling popcorn, links, nachos, boudain, drinks and more.

Volunteers said the effort this year will help support the church’s Hispanic mission.

“It’s a safe, family friendly environment,” one volunteer explained.

Saturday’s scheduled parades are:

  • 2 p.m. Krewes Royalty March, inside the gates
  • 5:30 p.m. Motorcycle Showcase Parade, from Rosehill/Seawall, to Houston Avenue.
  • 6 p.m. Total Krewe of Aurora Grand Parade, from Rosehill/Seawall to the gates.

Saturday weather forecast, from the National Weather Service, Lake Charles:

  • 20 percent chance of rain from morning to afternoon
  • 30 percent chance of rain with some fog Saturday night.