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The eighth annual Krewe of Mask Mardi Gras Parade is set to return in LaGrange on Saturday, Jan. 27.

The year 2024 marks the seventh official running of the family-friendly Mardi Gras parade through Downtown LaGrange. Event organizers elected not to parade in 2021 due to COVID.

The theme for this year’s parade is “Krewe of the Mask Goes on Vacation” with entrants depicting fun travel and vacation destinations.

LaGrange Mayor Willie Edmondson will serve as the 2024 grand marshal. Jamie and Regina Ingram have been named this year’s king and queen for the parade.

Parade co-captain and “Mayor of the Mask” John Cashen said the parade will start at 7 p.m. using the same route as last year.

“We will do the same route from the skate park on up to Ridley [Avenue] over to Church Street and back down to the skate park,” Cashen said.

Funds raised through the parade are shared with Twin Cedars and United Way. Twin Cedars is also set to host its annual Mardi Gras-themed fundraiser “Behind the Mask” on Feb. 3.

Cashen said they started with Behind the Mask before breaking of to create their own group but they still support Twin Cedars. He said the Behind the Mask’s Royal Court will ride in the parade on their own float.

Both events help bring a little bit of Mardi Gras culture to LaGrange, Cashen said. The LaGrange events don’t quite have the debauchery of New Orleans though. Expect plenty of beads, coins and king cake, but the events will remain family-friendly.

Cashen said this year’s parade will have more animated floats with mechanical parts than they have had in the past. He said they have floats coming from as far away as Columbus. As of Monday, they have about 60 entries to the parade signed up, he said.

As is tradition, the Krewe of the Mask will hold a parade afterparty at The Brickhouse Pub on Main Street from 8 p.m. to midnight. Tickets are $25.

For anyone interested in participating in the parade, contact Cashen at 706-668-3555.