Galveston Campus Lets The Good Times Roll

Statue of George P. Mitchell '40 at Texas A&M University Galveston Campus

Texas A&M University at Galveston’s 9th Annual Mardi Gras Parade Viewing Party was Saturday, February 10, hosted at and underwritten by the Tremont House, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel. The sold-out event benefits the George P. Mitchell Society, which provides support and funding for scholarships for Texas A&M-Galveston students.

Mardi Gras in Galveston dates back over 150 years, starting with a masked ball in 1867. These celebrations paused in the early 1940s, as the country entered World War II, and returned in 1949 only to fade away again in the mid-1950s. In 1985, after a decades-long hiatus of Mardi Gras celebrations, George P. Mitchell ’40 and his wife, Cynthia, hosted the grand opening of The Tremont House hotel, the perfect occasion to usher in a new era of Mardi Gras on the island.

Galveston now hosts the third largest Mardi Gras celebration in the country, with the weeks leading up to Fat Tuesday making for one of the liveliest seasons, bringing fun and festivity to the island. The Texas A&M Mardi Gras Parade Viewing Party, established in 2015, is built from Mitchell’s legacy. The party is one of dozens of events, as the entire island community celebrates with parades, concerts, balcony parties and more, many of which feature student volunteers.

“It’s become a tradition for our student groups to volunteer with Mardi Gras here on the island,” said Shelly Fordyce ’99, the campus’s director of student activities. “From set up to clean up, students are involved in it all, and we are so proud that they are out serving the community.”

Guests at Texas A&M’s annual party enjoyed dinner, dancing and the Knights of Momus Grand Night Parade, complete with the Texas A&M Maritime Academy cadets marching down the Strand. Though the balcony was closed for renovations this year, attendees watched the parade from the street-level private patio.

“Mardi Gras gives the entire corps the opportunity to come together,” said Cameron Henderson ’24, who volunteers each year as part of the Hearn Honor Guard. “It’s great to see the smiles on peoples’ faces, to have kids asking for photos and to see the reactions of the crowd. I really like the happiness you feel while marching Mardi Gras,” Henderson joked, “And the beads.”

The Mardi Gras Parade Viewing Party is made possible thanks to friends and supporters of Texas A&M-Galveston:

The George P. Mitchell Society is comprised of individuals and organizations committed to the well-being of the oceans, seas and waterways through maritime and marine research, education and training. The society supports student scholarships, faculty and various programs and activities at Texas A&M-Galveston.