Mardi Gras Parade float winners receive awards from the City of Vicksburg

Float winners in the Vicksburg Mardi Gras Parade were presented with awards at Monday’s Board of Mayor and Alderman meeting.

“[The parade] was a huge success and probably one of the largest crowds we’ve seen,” said Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs Jr. “We even ran out of a few things.”

The Main Street Program, which is a non-profit public/private partnership working within Vicksburg’s historic downtown area, organized the parade. Ashley Dawson with Main Street said there were 40 entries in this year’s parade, held on Feb. 22.

“We had thousands of people that lined the streets of downtown Vicksburg,” Dawson said. “One word I can use to describe the parade was ‘wow.’ Everybody was just so happy about how everything went.”

Mardi Gras King Chad Shealy (photo from Vicksburg Main Street)

Mardi Gras Queen Shelia McKinnis (photo from Vicksburg Main Street)

This year’s parade Mardi Gras King was Chad Shealy, superintendent of Vicksburg Warren School District. Mardi Gras Queen was Shelia McKinnis, president of the Vicksburg-Warren Chamber of Commerce.

2020 Mardi Gras Winners:

• Best in Business: Danny Hearn’s Trucking
• Best in Show: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District
• Best Non-Profit: Tiki Mardi Gras
• Most Original: Golding Barge
• Best Civic Club: Vicksburg Elks Lodge #095
• Best Recreational Club: Vicksburg Cruisers
• Most Enthusiastic: The City of Vicksburg
• Best Throws: Sheffield Rental

“Thank you to everyone who participated this year,” Dawson said.

USACE Mardi Gras float won Best in Show. (photo from Vicksburg Main Street)