Event Name:  Courir de Mardi Gras
Location:  Vermilionville Performance Center
Date(s):  Jan 27, 2013
Time:  Starts: 11:00 AM   Ends: 3:00 PM

 Join Bayou Vermilion District’s Vermilionville on Sunday, January 27 from 11 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. as they bring a traditional country Mardi Gras run to the city for their annual Courir de Mardi Gras with the Basile Mardi Gras Association. “This is our heritage, culture and tradition.  This is us. This is how we’ve always done it – to go out and beg, sing, dance and hopefully get everything we need for a gumbo,” explains Russell “Potic” Rider – President of the Basile Mardi Gras Association.
 
Attendees are encouraged to arrive at 10:45 a.m. for the run, which begins at 11 a.m. with an overview of the Mardi Gras tradition. From there guests will stop at six of the homes located inside Vermilionville’s historic village where they will watch the Basile Mardi Gras Association beg for all the ingredients for the community gumbo and perform some traditions along the way.
 
The run will go until noon ending at the Performance Center where attendees will be able to purchase gumbo and dance to the music of the Lafayette Rhythm Devils. At 1 p.m. attendees can participate in a costume contest where judges will pick the best country Mardi Gras costume. The winner will have bragging rights for the entire year in addition to other prizes.
 
There will also be a Mardi Gras King Cake cooking demonstration with Marie Walthers from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. in Vermilionville’s Cooking School. Attendees will learn about the tradition of the King Cake as well as what it represents and how to make it, not to mention some samples in between.
 
Attendees can also enjoy viewing the beautiful and elaborate city Mardi Gras costumes and the fun and festive country Mardi Gras outfits that are part of Vermilionville’s A Tale of Two Mardi Gras exhibit. The exhibit focuses on the vastly different, but equally meaningful ways Mardi Gras is celebrated in the city and the county.
 
Admission for the Courir de Mardi Gras is $8 for adults, $5 for students and under six free. Vermilionville is also having a bead drive in support of LARC's Acadian Village. Anyone who brings in a bag of beads to donate to the organization for their fundraiser will receive $1 off admission to the Courir de Mardi Gras. For more information visit the calendar of events at Vermilionville.org, or call (337) 233-4077.

10:45 a.m. – Attendees are encouraged to arrive
11:00 a.m.  – A Mardi Gras run by the Basile Mardi Gras Association
                      – King Cake cooking demonstration with Marie Walthers
12:00 p.m. – Lafayette Rhythm Devils perform
1:00 p.m. – Country Mardi Gras costume contest