Hundreds happy to see return of Rubonia Mardi Gras parade despite changes

Hundreds of smiling faces greeted the return of the Rubonia Mardi Gras parade on Saturday.

Joe Webb, 71, could be heard laughing and shouting his approval as the floats and belly dancers passed by.

“It’s wonderful,” Webb said.

Webb sported a big grin below some goofy glasses and proudly wore a king’s crown.

“This crown really brings out the best,” Webb said.

After the parade’s two-year hiatus, he was happy to see the festive procession return. He said the parade holds a lot of happy memories for him.

Webb said he was also pleased with some of the changes, including the elimination of “inappropriate” preteen dance routines.

Besides the parade, Webb said the food is another great attraction.

“I’m supposed to meet some people over there to share a turkey leg — they’re so big,” Webb said.

There was a heavy security presence on Saturday. The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office set up a command post and had dozens of deputies on hand, and the agency’s helicopter could even be spotted overhead.

A clown who came along at the rear of the more than a dozen floats and performers drew lots of attention because of the sign he was wheeling behind him: “Clown seeks wife” with a phone number for any takers. The clown, who asked to be called Drum Major, was also carrying a fishing pole in front of him with a fake fish hanging from his line emblazoned with the word “wife.”

“Single ladies, clown needs a wife,” he shouted as others laughed. “I’ll take unhappily married ladies, too.”

“I’m happy to see everybody. Everybody’s smiling. Everybody’s happy,” he said after the parade.

Well, not quite everybody.

Vicky Hugan, 53, said she was a little disappointed with the parade’s return.

“I’ve been coming here for years,” Hugan said. “It’s not the same. The parade was like two seconds. It used to be way longer.”

Hugan recalled when the parade was held at 3 p.m. on a Sunday, and crowds would begin arriving by 10 a.m., as she did.

Hugan, echoed by those gathered with her, didn’t like that the rest of the event was secluded from the parade at the Rubonia Community Center. Live music and vendors would surround Bayshore Road in the past, she said, so that when the parade ended people could keep partying without having to move around so much.

“It’s been so many changes,” she said. “There’s no music. There’s no vendors.”

Donald Mitchell, one of the organizers, said Saturday’s turnout was fantastic and was optimistic that it would continue to grow again, despite changes made to the format.

“We had a two-year hiatus,” Mitchell said. “Now hopefully we can get it back on track.”

This story was originally published February 25, 2017 at 6:48 PM with the headline "Hundreds happy to see return of Rubonia Mardi Gras parade despite changes."