Crew of Ascension Mambo to hold 5th annual Gonzales Mardi Gras parade Feb. 7

The Crew of Ascension Mambo will hold its fifth annual Gonzales Mardi Gras parade on Feb. 7, starting at 2 p.m., the group’s king and queen said in a local television interview. Larry Williams, king of the Crew of Ascension Mambo, and DeSandra Irvin Lawrence, queen, urged residents to arrive early and noted the event is intended as a family-friendly alternative to traveling to New Orleans.

"In Ascension Parish, we do not have any Mardi Gras festivities, but we are happy to bring it to the parish locally so people do not have to travel," DeSandra Irvin Lawrence said on-air, describing the crew’s goal of providing a safe, inclusive celebration for families.

Williams, who said he is an alumnus of a participating local high school named on-air as "Eastern Central High School," described new traditions for 2026, including a commemorative throw designed to represent Gonzales, "home of the jambalaya," that will appear on the king and queen floats. "You can catch one of these on a king or queen float," Williams said.

Organizers said the parade will feature 11 bands and about 45 entries. Williams asked spectators to bring chairs and containers for the throws and to plan for traffic: "The parade will start at 2. So make sure you, try and beat the traffic that will be out there trying to find places to park and just be safe." The route will begin on Arma Street, continue through Cornerville and Burnside, and end on Highway 30.

The crew traces its founding to late 2020 and has expanded its membership and community work since then, including scholarship support for Ascension Parish schools and year-round community giveback drives, the pair said. Organizers said more details and updates are posted on the group's Facebook page, listed on-air as "Crew of Ascension Mambo."

The interview closed with a reminder of the parade date and an invitation for residents to attend. "Come and have a good time," Lawrence said.

The Crew of Ascension Mambo’s Feb. 7 parade is scheduled to start at 2 p.m.; organizers asked attendees to consult the group's Facebook page for any last-minute changes or further details.