Mardi Gras, the spring semester’s Howl
This year’s Mardi Gras is anticipated to be the most attended Mardi Gras at Utah State University.
“We put so much love into this event,” said activities committee member Ximena Erreguin. “As corny as that sounds, we do this for everyone to enjoy their friends and just have fun.”
USUSA activities director Colton Fetzer is in charge of the Mardi Gras this year.
“My committee and I have been working really, really hard to make sure this is an experience that is enjoyable and fun for all students,” Fetzer said.
Fetzer is a sophomore this year. He said he hasn’t had the opportunity to experience USU events to the fullest because of the pandemic.
“Funny thing is the night before the Howl I actually tested positive for COVID. So, I didn’t get to get that fulfillment like that,” Fetzer said.
It’s a double edged sword, Fetzer said, because while he doesn’t know exactly how big events like the Mardi Gras have been run in previous years, he has the opportunity to originate event specifics.
“In the past, it’s usually been like Mardi Gras is the more low-key Howl,” Fetzer said. “But where it’s open to the public now we’re hoping to maybe ramp up and make Mardi Gras more exciting and comparable to the Howl.”
Having so many people attend events like Mardi Gras makes all the planning worth it, Erreguin said. But the Mardi Gras this year will not be completely unfamiliar to students who have previously attended the event.
“We’ll have blackjack tables, Texas Hold ’em, all sorts of different tables,” Fetzer said. “And a fun little thing too is my very own mom is going to be dealing one of the blackjack tables. So, hopefully USU students show up and make sure to go see my mom.”
Bella Gardner, a sophomore on the activities committee, is from New Orleans and is working with Fetzer to add some authentic touches to the event.
“We’re having a lot of people in the hallways,” Gardner said. “Show girls just walk around which is authentic to New Orleans because everyone loves to dress up and do crazy outfits.”
People often dress up for the Mardi Gras at USU but sometimes miss the authenticity mark.
“Authentically, I’d say everyone for parades usually just dresses more casual and like green, yellow, purple outfits,” Gardner said. “The people who really enjoyed Mardi Gras — They’ll just deck out and even during Mardi Gras — during the floats — they always throw out like French skirt sunglasses, fanny packs so at the end of the parade we’re all looking crazy.”
Besides the casino, there will be a dance, karaoke and other acts to participate in.
“We’ll have our reptiles — all that. A lot of great roaming novelty acts,” Fetzer said. “But then — for the rest of it — we will leave it to be a little surprise.”
This year’s Mardi Gras will be on Feb. 4 from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Masks are encouraged and will be available to people as they enter the event. Tickets will be sold to everyone, but USU students can pick up tickets for $5 at the card office in the Taggart Student Center. Ticket sales will go towards the End of Year Bash.
“This is your time to experience USU,” Fetzer said.