Now let’s talk about the other Mardi Gras the is less grandiose than New Orleans, but still quite a big deal to many, Mobile Alabama. Mobile, Alabama, is, in fact, where the first Mardi Gras was. This is their most significant bragging point. Many residents from Mobile and around insist that it is also quality over quantity. It’s also perceived as the more ” family-friendly” mardi gras, although I’ve certainly seen a fair share of not so family-friendly things at this Mardi gras as well. I’ve connections to both cities and have celebrated Mardi Gras in both. I can say that they both have their strong points. I’ll come to this comparison later, but first, let me tell you about the biggest day of Mobile Mardi gras, which is, in fact, not Mardi Gras or Lundi Gras, but Joe Cain day.
Joe Cain day is the Sunday before Mardi Gras. Joe Cain is the father of ” modern mardi gras” in Mobile. When Mobile was economically devastated by the civil war’s economic after-effects, it went under a major depression, and Mardi Gras was halted. Joe Cain was very determined to revive the city and bring back Mardi Gras, so on Fat Tuesday in 1868, dressed in a plaid skirt and Indian headdress, trying to imitate a fictional Chickasaw chief named “Slacabamorinico aka Old Slac.” A band of veterans eventually joined Joe Cain riding through town on a decorated coal wagon tooting their horns and drums beating their drums. Pretty much from the on, Mobilians got have been back into the Mardi Gras spirit since. There are a lot of different versions of the story. You can read a much longer and more in-depth explanation of the holiday here. Some of you are probably screeching ” CULTURAL APPROPRIATION,” but the guy has been dead since 1904, so you are going to have a difficult time trying to tell him this.
Anyways, now Joe Cain day is known as the real people’s parade. There are several parades throughout the day, and it used to be just anyone who was there in the morning could join, but due to the size and planning purposes, you have to register your group in advance. It is still far more about the regular people of Mobile than the sort of snotty Mardi Gras Krewes. The parade is preceded by the visit of the “Cain’s Merry Widows” to his gravesite.
You sort of find all walks of life at this celebration. It’s on a much smalle/r scale than New Orleans celebrations but still quite significant. Last year had about 118,000 attend. People have all sorts of tailgate parties, crawfish boils, BBQs, and fish fries. They are happy to share more often than not. You see many different backgrounds of people out enjoying the holiday. You find drag queens, hipsters, locals, and people from the nearby swampy towns. It almost looks like a little southern utopia a bit on the surface. Everyone has a right attitude and sets aside their political differences for the day to enjoy being pelted with moon pies and enjoy some of the best food in the country. Although when the day drags on, you see the effects of some of the alcohol, the MAGA people get feisty; couples have their domestic issues, the line for the porta-potty looks like a scene from deliverance. Although, you can safely avoid this and walk 5 meters, and you are fine again. This can be the case for any large scale event in the south, even in New Orleans.
I won’t get into it too deeply, but Mobile has a bit of a reputation for being not the classiest city and not unclassy in a fun way. It has always been a bit overshadowed by New Orleans. It also went overwhelmingly more Trump in both 2016 and 2020. New Orleans Parish went over 80% for Biden. It also played a major part in voting for a clueless football coach as a senator. The town has a lot of problems with inequality and equality. I spent some time there in college; I know this. My mom has family in the area. Although problems aside, the town might get more of a bad rap than it deserves. Like all places like this, it has a lot of intelligent and open-minded people. I met one of the biggest loves of my life in this town. I have a handful of friends and family that I keep regular contact with. Writing off places and entire populations as white trash and a lost cause is almost as ignorant as the people you claim to be ignorant. This region has one of the most racially diverse groups in the country.
Joe Cain’s day is a reminder to me that the South can do better. It’s also a lot of fun. People are usually in their best mood and are aside from their differences. One of the only downfalls is the weather can be a crapshoot, like New Orleans. You can be wearing flip-flops and a T-shirt or a winter coat.
So which Mardi Gras is better?
They both have their points. If you want a smaller scale Mardi Gras, Mobile might be more your pace. It is on a smaller scale, but all of the things New Orleans has, Mobile has. The Couchsurfing community in New Orleans is more significant, but strangers in Mobile are often happy to adopt you in their celebrations if you are a solo traveler. Mobile is a lot easier to mauver around. New Orleans can be a giant clusterfuck, especially on Lundi Gras and Mardi Gras. I would frankly instead go to Metairie or a smaller nearby suburb on Fat Tuesday itself.
The downfall to Mobile Mardi Gras is some of the krewes can be incredibly racist. I heard a few years ago that some of them had segregated Mardi Balls. I’m not as up to date with New Orleans Krewes, but many of those balls are much more expensive and exclusive to get invited to. They also have a lot more krewes, and quite a few are quite inclusive. Mobile Mardi Gras also has had a few incidents in the last year with racist and sexist floats.
New Orleans Mardi Gras, you have idiots from all over the country causing a scene. Mobile Mardi gras, it is the locals rendering scenes. Really, I would make time for both. I prefer the overall Mardi season in New Orleans, Mobile for Joe Cain day, for the big day itself, I am torn. I actually would love to experience it somewhere in the deep cajun country in Louisana. This might be my task for the next time that I am in North America during carnival season.
Happy Joe Cain day y’all!