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This weekend my family did what most South Louisiana families did: we enjoyed the nice weather and some family friendly Mardi Gras parades. On Saturday, we all had the opportunity to ride in a neighborhood parade, and walked away thinking it is definitely better to give than to receive. My girls, my husband and I all get caught up in the excitement of catching beads and prizes at parades, but even the children agreed it was far better to anticipate the next crowd and prepare for the big throw of beads, candy, and footballs (we had a Saints theme for our float!). Sunday was again fantastic and we headed downtown to watch the canine crowd at “The Krewe of Mutts.” I have never seen so many dogs in one place. Fortunately we decided not to bring our labs…I feel certain the excitement would have been too much. Should you ever consider participating in the parade, realize it is fairly long. Some of the dogs and owners toward the end of the parade seemed to be struggling due to the long wait.

I will have to say these days I am so impressed with the atmosphere downtown and how family friendly it is becoming. This past Sunday was no different. After the parade, we enjoyed ice cream at Capitol Creamery on North Street (I highly recommend the Rocky Road), while others visited the cafes with outdoor seating, took a stroll along the levee, or played outside among the oak trees and water features outside the Shaw Center. Speaking of, 225 is partnering with the Arts Council, the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, Capital City Grill, the Downtown Development District, Hilton Capitol Center, Mayor Kip Holden and producer John Jackson to launch “Sunday in the Park.” It will be brunch and music under the oaks of Lafayette Park at the Shaw Center. The event is scheduled to premiere Sunday, April 15 with The Lil Ray Neal Blues Band. I can’t wait to check it out.

One final push for the downtown arts – The Community School for the Arts is sponsoring a Mardi Gras Arts Blast on February 19 and 20. It is two days full of art activities for children 4-16. The classes are held at the Shaw Center and similar programs are scheduled for the summer. Registration is required, so if you are interested, visit www.artsbr.org. Have a fun and safe Mardi Gras!