Mardi Gras in Natchez

While the sun sets over the Mississippi River, the town of Natchez prepares for the kickoff of their Mardi Gras festivities.

Good evening, this is Mike George coming at you live on a beautiful Friday night here in Natchez, Mississippi, where we have the "trickle-in" of Mardi Gras. I have lived in Louisiana through 2021 and 2022, and now it is 2023. Even though I have lived there for two Mardi Gras seasons, I must have been living under a rock known as Crimson House, because somehow I’ve never actually participated in Mardi Gras. I'm not even sure if I’m doing a public post—I forgot to check my settings—but we’ll see if anyone pops in, whether it’s "hotel manager Karen," "officer Kevin," or just a friendly conversation with you all.

The energy here is interesting; it’s like the energy of Pride, but with a more small-town, wholesome, inclusive feel. I’m not going to spend a lot of time on here because "daddy’s got to get festive" — preferably drunk and maybe stoned. We have this beautiful sunset behind us as we head into the final weekend before the last week of Mardi Gras.

I didn't realize Mardi Gras was such a long event; I hear it started in the middle of January and has been going on for three or four weeks. While I speak a little bit of French, I have a "cultural deficiency" compared to the people here in Natchez, Louisiana, and the Bayou Delta Mississippi area, because I don't know anything about Mardi Gras traditions. I know it stands for "Fat Tuesday," so I presume next Tuesday will be the climax of the affair, but I’m quite ignorant about what the holiday entails.

I look forward to seeing the nuances of the celebration. Maybe I’ll get to use my French, though that probably won’t get me far since we are in Mississippi and not Louisiana. Let's take one more look at this sunset across the Mississippi River toward the shore of Louisiana. I spent 2 years in that state, specifically around Alexandria, which is the transition point between the highlands and the bayou.

I think I’ll try to conclude the rest of this broadcast in French just to embarrass myself on Facebook…

I keep hearing cliché French lines, like the ones Americans use in Montreal. I shouldn’t condescend to my own people, though!

You can see people starting to filter into downtown after work, putting on their heels, costumes, and drag, getting ready to have a ball. Since Mardi Gras is Fat Tuesday, it is time to be "fat, merry, and drunk." I might have an adventure coming up this weekend; if you thought I was reckless for leaving Louisiana to run off with a boy and getting stranded here in Natchez, wait until you hear this: I might actually end up in New Orleans for Mardi Gras proper.

I’m really excited about the prospect of going to New Orleans with a boy. I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but I like to stay optimistic. It’s Mardi Gras, and as I say, "we’re all big old sluts." I’m a bit braindead and haven't even started drinking yet, but here we are at the commencement of the festivities in the South. I’m trying to think of my usual send-off line in French —"take care of yourselves, take care of somebody else"—but I’m struggling with the translation. Take care and good night!