In 2012, the Carnegie Visual Arts Center presented Decatur’s first Mardi Gras-style celebration with the “Carnegie Carnival,” and since that first year, the event has grown and grown. This year has featured a weeklong slate of activities culminating with the Carnegie Carnival Parade on Saturday, February 26.
The River City is hosting a full day of events on Saturday — a half marathon, children’s art activities, Children’s Parade, Canine parade and the big event, the Carnegie Carnival Parade complete with Crewes, throws, and music – all in downtown Decatur.
Read on for more details from Carnegie Carnival:
The day starts with a race!
Decatur, Alabama, hosts a fabulous running/biking trail and some of the nicest runners you’ll ever meet. Join us for our 6th annual Carnival Frolic 13.1-mile race taking you through our acclaimed historic districts, along the Tennessee River, and through Point Mallard Park. Race course is USATF certified.
There’s also live music!
Take a break from the day’s activities with good food and drink paired with live Mardi Gras music at The Brick. This event is suitable for the whole family during food service hours. This event is free to attend plus the cost of food and/or drinks.
2022 BAND LINE-UP:
- 12pm – Dixieland Swingers
- 2pm – Nitrate City
- 4pm – Blagburn
So many children’s activities!
ART FOR KIDS
The Carnegie Visual Arts Center partners with the Kiwanis of Decatur to offer free art projects for kids. Creation Station is located on 1st Avenue at the Decatur Farmer’s Market by the Carnival Midway games. The fun begins at 12:30 pm and activities are free. (Morgan County-Decatur Farmers Market, 211 1st Ave SE Decatur, AL 35601)
CARNIVAL GAMES
Carnival style games offer fun for kids of all ages. An armband for $1 lets you in for unlimited play. Everyone wins prizes! Carnival Midway will be located on 1st Avenue at the Decatur Farmer’s Market by the Creation Station. Carnival games begin at 12:00pm. (Morgan County-Decatur Farmers Market, 211 1st Ave SE Decatur, AL 35601)
A dog parade, yes, a dog parade!
Dogs of all sizes and breeds, dressed in their Mardi Gras best, will take to the streets of historic downtown Decatur, Alabama for the most colorful pooch parade and dog walk you will ever witness. Before the canine parade, the Carnegie Carnival 2022 Sir Bow Wow and Lady Barks-a-Lot will be crowned! The parade begins at 2:30pm.
The main event, a Mardi Gras parade!
Have you ever seen a full-size replica of a wooden pirate ship “sail” down the street? It happens every year at Carnegie Carnival, North Alabama’s Premier Mardi Gras Celebration!
Join the Pirate Crewe O’Ye Crooked Goat, the Sirens of Achelous and Skeleton Crewe, Joe Cain’s Merry Widows, that wild and crazy Crewe of Chaos, the Majesties of Marmac, and the other-side-of-towners from the Southwest of the Border Crewe, plus many, many more for an unforgettable night of fabulous floats, music, dancing, and most importantly family fun!
The Carnival parade route begins at 6:00 pm on Bank Street, at Founder’s Park near the Old State Bank and continues on Lee Street to 2nd Avenue ending at Grant Street.
And you can recycle those beads!
Once Carnival season is done and the cleanup begins, what in the world do you do with all those beads? Keep supporting local community efforts through the Carnegie’s “Catch and Release” program. Bead recycling is highly encouraged!
Simply drop off any unwanted beads at the Carnegie or participating local business, and the kids enrolled in the Decatur High Developmental Program will clean and repackage them to sell at next year’s Carnegie Carnival as a fundraiser for the Developmental Program. Bags of beads sell for approximately $5 for a bag of 100.
For more information check out carnegiecarnival.org.
Don’t miss out! Subscribe to our email newsletter to have all our smart stories delivered to your inbox.
