Mardi Gras 2005 Downtown was a glowing success this year as Muncieites from every stripe came out in full force, event organizers said.
Predictions are more somber however for the festival in New Orleans tomorrow.
In "Super Early Carnival" published last Friday in the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Business Writer Keith Darc+â-¬ blamed the slump on unfortunate timing.
"Just about the moment the Krewe of Bacchus parade begins rolling down Napoleon Avenue at 5 p.m. on the Sunday before Mardi Gras, it'll be kickoff time for Super Bowl XXXIX in Jacksonville, Fla.," he said.
This fact that the event coincides with Super Bowl weekend, along with poor weather predictions, are making for a weak Fat Tuesday this year, Darc+â-¬ said.
This was not the case Saturday at Mardi Gras 2005 Downtown. Despite cold weather, the event commonly known as Muncie Gras was overflowing with people, Event Organizer, Cheryl Crowder said.
"I remember the first year we did this we were amazed at the turnout. It seems like it keeps getting bigger every year," Crowder said.
Although exact numbers have yet to be figured, Crowder estimated 11,000 to 13,000 people were in attendance at Saturday's event.
"Even though things got kind of crowded people were in a pretty good mood. Things stayed pretty mellow," Crowder said.
Keeping things safe was a priority at Muncie Gras as a total of 60 uniformed and undercover police officers patrolled the crowd.
"We're just here to make sure everybody has a good time, you know, make sure nothing gets too out of control," Sgt. Broc Barrett of the Muncie Police Department said.
Safety did not seem to be the main thought on the minds of partygoers, however. Ball State Senior, Lee Elmore went to Muncie Gras with a group of friends.
"I've been looking forward to it like all week. I hear it's gonna be f***ing crazy." Elmore said.
Performing on Mardi Gras 2005 Downtown's main stage was Muncie native, Jenny Devoe.
Although it was peppered from the get-go with sporadic audio problems, Devoe said she was pleased with her overall performance.
"We usually get to do sound checks earlier. Still, things went pretty well after we got all that figured out, I think," Devoe said.
Devoe said she's been very successful the past few months. "We just got back from California. We signed with a company that's run by the same people who own the San Diego Chargers." she said.
The performer is not new to the music business. A 1990 graduate of Ball State's telecommunications program, Devoe she has been at this full time since she left her alma mater 15 years ago.
Mardi Gras 2005 downtown was sponsored by Muncie Downtown Development, a not-for-profit organization who's goal is to promote the city's downtown business district.
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