Spring Hill’s SGA is planning to host a Mardi Gras Parade Feb. 15, on campus for the upcoming carnival season. 

Mardi Gras has been a favorite season amongst Spring Hill students and only fitting that it’s celebrated so well in the city that Mardi Gras was originated. SGA has seen the students’ energy for the carnival season and has decided to host a parade for students to partake in with the annual Mardi Gras Ball here. “We want to set the groundwork for future parades and bring back a much-loved tradition,” said SGA President Cade Dernlan. 

Kevin Abel, vice president of Student Affairs at SHC, said the parade is tentatively set for around 11:30 a.m. on Feb. 15. It precedes an on-campus rugby game and the Mardi Gras Ball on that same evening in Byrne Hall. Abel, in announcing the parade, said: "As part of the effort in moving Mardi Gras Ball onto SHC’s campus, Student Government with the input and assistance of Student Involvement, will be organizing a campus Mardi Gras Parade to occur on the day of the Mardi Gras Ball. The intent is to give SHC a day-long Mardi Gras celebration as a campus community. Student Government is the primary planning organization for the parade and Campus Programming Board is the primary planning organization for Mardi Gras Ball."

Putting this parade together might be a challenge for some organizations, though. The parade is designed for clubs and organizations from campus to “rent-a-float” so they can participate in the parade and display their respective group by throwing your typical Mardi Gras style throw. But the resistance against the idea has been focused on the funding from the clubs because of such late notice. Not every club can rent a trailer and decorate it out. Many if not all student organizations have to plan/budget ahead for events like this. So the late notice has proposed many questions.

Griffin Morgan, SGA vice president, said, “They are still working on a decision to charge or not. If there is a fee, it won’t be large and we want to emphasize simplicity. No renting needs to be involved, the idea is to be in the back of a pickup truck, but if you have a trailer, more power to you.” So it should be a low-cost production, Griffin added: “We will be in touch with all the clubs and organizations in the coming days.” 

Another problem that has been brought to attention is the participation from prospective parade-goers. A majority of students on campus are in organizations and will likely be riding on floats. How many students, then, will be in attendance? Dernlan and Morgan both agreed that they want to limit the number of people in the truck to either three or four so everyone else can be on the receiving end of the throws for this exciting time of year.

This parade initiative for Spring Hill is not the first time the campus has seen Mardi Gras parades before dating back before the 2000s. Bringing back an old memory of Spring Hill seems like a great idea, Dernlan said, adding: “We want to boost on-campus programming and we thought nothing was more Spring Hill than having our own parade.” With the recent decision to bring the Mardi Gras Ball back to campus, the parade is set to coincide with the fan-favorite party that Campus Programming Board hosts annually.