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Beads, booze and flashing are all things that are commonly affiliated with any Mardi Gras celebration.
While Moscow Mardi Gras has become famous for being a night full of
alcohol-fueled craziness, it is actually an event that helps the
community.
Moscow’s Mardi Gras will begin at 9 p.m. on Saturday.
The Moscow Moose Lodge will host the Clumsy Lovers in their ballroom, John’s
Alley will host Papa Mali, the Eagles Lodge will host Dennis Weaver and Friends, the Garden Lounge will host Soul Jibe, and Mingles will host Fabulous Kingpins.
Tickets cost $10 and can be purchased at BookPeople of Moscow or Safari Pearl.
One $10 dollar ticket is good for all five bars.
In addition, CJ’s
nightclub will host Mardi Gras Madness, which will benefit the Humane Society of the Palouse.
It costs $10 to get in and the doors open at 6 p.m.
Beads, booze and flashing are all things that are commonly affiliated with any Mardi Gras celebration.
While Moscow Mardi Gras has become famous for being a night full of alcohol-fueled craziness, it is actually an event that helps the community.
Since its creation in the late 1970s, the annual event has undergone many changes Cope Gale, who started the annual event, said that it all began as a sales promotion for his store, Ward Paint and Hardware.
“There were a couple other stores that participated, and after that it just grew,” Gale said.
In the past, Moscow Mardi Gras has been an all-day event, filled with a parade and other events, some years even holding a ball.
Now more than 20 years later, Moscow Mardi Gras is an event that takes place solely in the evening, and the money raised is donated to different youth organizations in the area.
Last year the money raised from the event amounted to more than $10,000.
“I like that we’re able to raise this money and give it to the kids. Everyone sees it as this crazy, college-driven, wild, night, but it’s more than that. I get to sit down with the grant committee and write the checks that go out to these groups, and they really appreciate it,” said Roger Crozier, president of the Moscow Mardi Gras committee.
The change from an all-day event to an evening-only event happened in the last three or four years, Gale said, and the committee eventually decided to focus on what was bringing in the most people.
“It cost a lot of money, and it took a lot of time to plan for an all day event,” he said. “The streets had to be closed for things like the parade, and there’s been a bigger turnout in the evening when the bands play the bars.”
Kathy Sprague, former Moscow Mardi Gras Committee president, said that Moscow Mardi Gras used to be one of the biggest Mardi Gras celebrations in the country.
“For a while it was the second biggest Mardi Gras celebration in the United States,” Sprague said.
Sprague said that the donations from Moscow Mardi Gras have made a difference in the community, and over the years donations from the event have been given to local Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, the library and Festival Dance, among many other organizations and groups.
As for celebrating Mardi Gras several weeks after the real Mardi Gras in Louisiana, it is something that has just happened over the years.
Gale said that the move to March was made once more of the festivities started being held at night.
“It’s not exactly warm enough to be standing out in the streets in the beginning of February,” Gale said. “That’s not very fun. In the beginning of March it’s at least a little warmer.”
Sandy Murphy, who has been on the Moscow Mardi Gras committee for the past 20 years said what she likes most about the night is that it’s one of the biggest events of the year for students in Moscow.
“Students are gone for big events like New Years and the Fourth of July,” Murphy said. “It’s one of the biggest nights in town and everyone gets to have a lot of fun.”
The entertainment begins at 9 p.m. on Saturday when five different bands take the stage at five bars in downtown Moscow.
The Moscow Moose Lodge will host the Clumsy Lovers in their ballroom, John’s Alley will host Papa Mali, the Eagles Lodge will host Dennis Weaver and Friends, the Garden Lounge will host Soul Jibe, and Mingles will host the Fabulous Kingpins.
Dale Keeney, who plays the drums for The Fabulous Kingpins, said that they’ve been playing at Moscow Mardi Gras off and on for the past 20 years.
“It’s a good fundraiser for groups in Moscow,” Keeney said.
Bill Cole, the Assistant Manager at the Garden Lounge said that Moscow Mardi Gras is one of his favorite nights of the year.
“It’s a great charity event and we’re proud to be one of the five bars in town that are a part of it,” Cole said. “We all come out to work it and it’s one of our favorite nights of the year.”
One $10 dollar ticket gets anyone into all five bars.
“You pay 10 dollars, you get in everywhere,” Crozier said. “There are four or five bars in Seattle that do the same style thing.”
While other places downtown like CJ’s and the Beach are holding their own festivities Saturday night, they are not affiliated with the official Moscow Mardi Gras charities.
CJ’s nightclub will be holding Mardi Gras Madness Saturday night, which benefits the Humane Society of the Palouse and is co-sponsored by Z-Fun 106.
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