Mardi Gras Nocona Style kicks off this weekend

NOCONA, Texas (KAUZ) - The community of Nocona kicked off it’s 12th annual Mardi Gras celebration on Friday.

The Chamber of Commerce said the event brings in hundreds of people to the heart of downtown to eat and shop, which also brings a boost to Nocona businesses.

It’s all done Mardi Gras Nocona Style, where funds raised from an ATV parade and crawfish boil will go right back into the community that enjoys bringing a little bit of New Orleans to the Nocona Hills.

“We are very excited. We couldn’t wait for it to get here and we’re glad it’s here. Everybody is just happy the world is turning again and we’re having fun,” Mitzi Fenoglio, president of the Nocona Chamber of Commerce, said.

After having to cancel their fish fry on Thursday and move other events around because of icy weather, Nocona Chamber of Commerce members said things are back on track.

“We changed a few things, we changed the big parade to Sunday versus Saturday to give us another day and some sunshine but other than that we’re rolling on with it,” Fenoglio said.

During Friday’s Mardi Gras Nocona Style crawfish boil, over 150 residents showed up to enjoy some food and support the Masonic Lodge District 86 that pours back into scholarships for the community. Businesses also participate by decorating their storefronts and making special themed meals and drinks.

“Well, it’s very important now after the last couple of years of trying to save our small businesses and keep them going,” Fenoglio said.

“Yeah it’s pretty nice you don’t have to travel far to have a good time and get some good food,” a resident of Nocona said.

Some even traveled over 1,000 miles just to be a part of something special to this community.

“This is my husband Jason and these are our kids that live in Utah that have flown in to come to Mardi Gras. This is our first Mardi Gras and it’s pretty fun so far,” the Toerck Family that lives in Nocona said.

Saturday morning, day two of Mardi Gras Nocona Style will kick off at 8 a.m. with a pancake breakfast at the Justin Building and a 5k run at 10 a.m.

Sunday starts the Mardi Gras parades at 2-3:30 p.m. following a gumbo meal at the Justin Building.

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