Laissez les bons temps rouler!

It’s that time again… Mardi Gras 2019 is upon us! Mark your calendars now, as Fayetteville again celebrates Mardi Gras with the 29th anniversary of the FAT SATURDAY PARADE OF FOOLS! Join us on Saturday, February 22nd in downtown Fayetteville, Arkansas. The parade starts at 2 pm on the Fayetteville Square, and winds down Block and Dickson Streets. This year the parade will conclude in the Walton Arts Center parking lot at the corner of West and Dickson, where the charitable contribution will be awarded.

Our Grand Marshals this year are husband and wife duo, Peter Lane and Barb Putman. Peter is President/CEO of the Walton Arts Center, and Barb serves as Executive Director of the Community Creative Center. Our King and Queen of Fayetteville Mardi Gras this year are Rick and Suzanne Jones from Krewe of Olympia.

We will be stopping the parade in the WAC lot this year to make a few announcements, and to hand out a charitable donation as well. This year, our Royalty has chosen the 7Hills Homeless Center as our charity. 7Hills’ programs are designed to help their clients improve and develop skills, and provide them the opportunities necessary to obtain and maintain stability. They rely on community partnerships to meet the wide variety of needs that their clients bring to them and to eliminate the duplication of services. CLICK HERE for more information about 7Hills Homeless Center.

Last year’s chosen charity, the Community Creative Center’s “Wheel Mobile”, will be parked next to the Nadine Baum Studios on West Ave again this, and invite parade goers to tour this new and exciting mobile art studio! The Wheel Mobile is a custom-designed Winnebago equipped with 9 potter’s wheels, art supplies, and clean-up facilities developed to offer potter’s wheel classes and art workshops for adults and students of all ages.

Come join the fun this year! It’s not too late to enter the parade, to sign up as a volunteer, or to sponsor the parade. Our donation amount is determined by the amount of money we raise from sponsorships.