Mobile Carnival Museum

The highlight for today was the Mobile Carnival Museum.  We had a guided tour, and the guide was a real story teller.  Among the things we learned:

  • Mobile had a carnival many years before New Orleans did
  • About 10% of Mobile’s population work year found on preparation for the following year’s carnival
  • The two main components of Mobile’s carnival period are balls and parades.
  • Mobile’s parades are more family friendly than those of New Orleans
  • The museum has an excellent set of displays featuring mostly the dress attire worn by the king and queen selected for each year’s carnival.

One of the exhibit rooms inside the Mobile carnival museum

Following that we had lunch at “The Blind Mule” and then followed a driving tour map to enjoy various styles of architecture present in Mobile.  Altogether, a pleasant day.

Claudette’s Two Cents.

I LOVED this museum and learning about the Carnaval (the Carnaval is the season, Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday is one day.) As I’m looking through my pictures, I’m trying to be selective as I took way too many pictures to share here.

What fascinated me and maybe even question traditions is the idea of “Royalty” with the Carnival hierarchy. The only way to be a King and Queen of the Mobile Carnival is to be born into the family or marry into it. As soon as a child can talk and walk, they start to have roles and tasks that is dictated by traditions.

Another anecdote about the “Royalties” of Mobile is that they spend an enormous amount of money of the wardrobe and the private events that lasts several weeks. Every item of clothing for this annual event are all sewn by hand, no exception. Any fur that is used to adorn the capes are fur from previous relatives capes and gowns.

Here’s one cape that is part of the museum. I just loved all the details on it. These are all genuine Swarovski and pearls, all sewn by hand. Fur is from past capes from the family.
This cape is the most expensive in the museum. The train is so heavy that it has rollers underneath it so that the person can actually move. The shoulder ornament on the white dress is custom for all gowns worn during the Carnival. They can weigh as much at 80 pounds. The women wear braces underneath the dresses in order to help them support the weight.
This is a table setting created by the Carnival Royal King, to receive his guests. A bit elaborate, don’t you think? And here I was concerned about which knife and fork to use when Bernard brought me to our first Valentine’s diner.
Another example of recycled hermine fur used in this cape. The details and craftsmanship is unbelievable. Again, all sewn by hand. The king and queen are selected by a special committee. They can be chosen as much as two years prior the their actual coronation, giving them plenty of time to design their outfits.
This king loved Napoleon Bonaparte so much that he created his outfit in his honor.
We were told that the black community had their own krew and included their own black king and queen. This is one of their outfits.
This is the restaurant where we had lunch in Mobile. A very small place but the food was really good.
This was the hard cider I had. I’m going to try to find some back home.

 

 

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