Downtown Moscow to host annual Mardi Gras festival
Live music, a parade, family activities and drink deals at local bars will draw many community members to downtown Moscow this weekend to support local youth charities.
The 25th annual Mardi Gras celebration seeks to raise money for causes such as Moscow School District’s scholarship programs, Adventure Club, Palouse Care Network and WSU Palouse Area Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH).
Tickets can be purchased at any of the venues or at Safari Pearl or Keeney Bros in Moscow, and in Pullman at Zappos and the Residence Inn for $15 until 5 p.m. Saturday. They can also be purchased at the door of any of the venues for $20, said Genevieve Bendel, president of Moscow Mardi Gras.
Last year, Moscow Mardi Gras raised $6,000 for local youth oriented organizations, the year before last, $11,000 was raised, Bendel said.
The Garden Lounge, Mingles, John’s Alley, Eagle’s Lounge, Moscow Moose Lounge and One World Cafe will each host a band Saturday night.
“They will have a great time, but they will also be supporting area youth,” Bendel said. “That is what a lot of people have forgotten about.”
Not all of the bars in Moscow are participating in Moscow Mardi Gras, Bendel said. Some bars may say they are associated with Mardi Gras, although it is not part of the charity event.
Bendel said fundraising is the main purpose of the festival.
PATH teaches children who are physically or mentally disabled how to ride horses. Bendel said Moscow Mardi Gras is one of the few funding sources the organization gets. All of the money raised through the event stays local.
“(The charities are) all within the Palouse area,” Bendel said.
During the day, festivities downtown are free and family friendly, Bendel said. There will be arts and crafts, book readings, noisemaker crafting and paper milk carton costume making at various stores in downtown Moscow.
“Things (that are) geared toward kids,” Bendel said. “(The milk carton making is) my favorite, because it brings back the old-school.”
David Giese, University of Idaho art professor, had his students build floats for the Saturday parade using only paper milk cartons, Bendel said. The children making costumes with paper milk cartons honors this tradition, Bendel said.
At 4 p.m. Saturday, the parade will start, Bendel said. It will be on Main Street starting at 1st street and ending at 6th street. The children can march in the parade to show off the costumes and the noisemakers they made earlier in the day, Bendel said. Some of the charities being supported are going to march in the parade, as well as the Moscow High School Color Guard and UI’s Dance Program.
“It is kind of a transition from daytime to night time,” Bendel said. “Night time is where we make the money for the charities.”
This year, there will be shuttles going back and forth between Moscow and Pullman starting at 8 p.m. and ending at 3 a.m. Sunday, Bendel said. The stops in Pullman are Zeppos and Residence Inn and the stops in Moscow are the Moscow Moose Lounge and Friendship Square.
“You don’t need a ticket, because we want everyone to be safe,” Bendel said.
The bands playing on Saturday will cover a wide range of musical styles, Bendel said. The Garden Lounge will host the Shiners, at John’s Alley Funky 2 Death will perform, Bare Wires will play at the Eagles Lounge, at Mingles the Fabulous Kingpins will play and the Moscow Moose Lodge will feature American Bonfire.
All of the venue’s patrons must be 21 years old to attend, Bendel said. One World Cafe will host the Intentions, but the venue is open to all ages and there will be a $10 cover for those who are under age or only want to go to the show.
“We’ve got funk to rock and roll,” Bendel said. “Of course (we have) the kingpins … They are our biggest draw.”
With all the different events going on around Moscow, it is important to remember this event is for charity, Bendel said.
“It is a charity event, it is for the kids,” Bendel said. “It really helps out these programs that wouldn’t normally get funding.”
Graham Perednia can be reached at [email protected]