The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON-Let the good times roll at a celebration of "Fat Tuesday," better known as Mardi Gras, on Tuesday, February 13, at the Dayton Memorial Library, from 6-8 pm.

Mask making, a celebration of traditional New Orleans style cooking and music, and other fun activities are planned for this celebration, said librarian Shakira Bye.

Some of the librarians have southern heritage, and they will be fixing and serving red beans and rice, gumbo, and pralines. Yes, there will also be a King Cake, Bye said.

Celebrants will get to hear the musical sounds of Zydeco, New Orleans' traditional style jazz, and experience a "Second Line", which is traditional to brass band parades. The Second Line is made up of people who follow the band in procession, she said.

Other activities include a photo area for pictures, and a search for "Kinsey Millhone", who is a fictional character from a Sue Grafton novel.

"Whoever guesses first wins a prize," said Bye.

Bye said there will also be a New Orleans style family gift basket for winners who know the answers to specific questions about Mardi Gras.

So it might be helpful to familiarize oneself with the information about Mardi Gras, which is currently on display at the library.

Find out the importance of "krewes" to Mardi Gras, what the traditional purple, green, and gold colors of Mardi Gras mean, and why black communities named their Mardi Gras planning organizations after imaginary Native American tribes.

Bye said the Mardi Gras celebration was planned partly in honor of Black History Month, which is also in February.

Information about Mardi Gras, and the role of the New Orleans African American community is featured in the display, along with the general history.