Mardi Gras Reaches 100

Perry County’s News Source. Locally Owned. Locally Staffed.

Pinckneyville Mardi Gras Reaches 100

By Pete Spitler

What’s been a year of history in Perry County continues in Pinckneyville, as the city’s famous Mardi Gras celebration has reached the triple digits.

The 100th celebration began with the annual queen pageant on Sunday, October 16, and continues this Saturday with a barbecue kickoff at the Pinckneyville Eagles Lodge before a weekend full of activities on October 28 and 29.

“There’s a huge amount of pride, but I think there’s a huge amount of pressure,” said Ashley Bathon, president of the Pinckneyville Chamber of Commerce. “A lot of people have been around for so long and seen so many different things that they’re really expecting a lot.

“We want to, obviously, measure up to what they’re wanting and what they’re expecting, and at the same time, keep ourselves together and grounded to be able to do those things.”

Originally known as “Hallowe’en Mardi Gras” - before “Hallowe’en” was dropped from the name in the 1920s - it was intended to mimic Mardi Gras in New Orleans, which takes place in February.

Etta Root Edwards helped organize the first Mardi Gras parade in 1922, which began in front of the Windsor Hotel at the corner of Mill and Parker streets.

From there, it traveled east to Schaub’s corner, then north to the Presbyterian Church. From there, the parade turned east to Walnut Street and then north on Walnut to the town square.

While Edwards’ association with Mardi Gras is well-known, there is another woman, Cora Sams, who also played a huge part in helping the event last as long as it has.

Sams was in charge of the Mardi Gras committee for over 30 years, handling the pageant queens, the queen’s float and the judging.

The first Mardi Gras queen pageant was held in 1925, with Hulda Scroeder Singer being named the first queen. The event will celebrate its own 100th anniversary in 2025.

At the beginning, queens would advertise themselves in the windows of different businesses in the town at five cents a vote.

Whoever earned the most votes was named queen, while today the queens are judged in several different categories before a winner is announced.

“I think they’re all really excited,” Bathon said of her queen candidates. “It’s a small group, so I think that makes it a little more intimate.

Perry County’s News Source. Locally Owned. Locally Staffed.

Pinckneyville Mardi Gras Reaches 100

“We’re going to do something for the past queens after the pageant. I think seeing all of them and seeing what they’re a part of will be a huge thing.”

The queens pageant also includes a traditional visit from Colonel Pinckney, who is named after Revolutionary War officer Charles Cotesworth Pinckney - generally accepted as the person Pinckneyville is named after.

Colonel Pinckney, who joined the pageant starting in 1953, attends the event with his two footmen and the real identity of his portrayer is kept a closely-guarded secret.

The Pinckneyville Chamber of Commerce’s 50/50 drawing is a spectacle in itself, with the 2021 winner pocketing half of the $33,479 total.

“I think the 50/50 is going to be huge,” Bathon said. “I think that’s something that people are going to talk about forever.”

Tickets can be purchased at the chamber office, businesses around town, the vendor fair and at the parade with the drawing taking place at the end of the parade. The winner has until November 30 to claim the prize.

“Celebrating a 100-year-old festival is a commendable achievement to our town’s ability to stick together,” said Carrie Gilliam, economic development coordinator for the City of Pinckneyville. “This festival brings cohesiveness and helps to instill a sense of pride.

“You can notice curbs being painted, gutters being cleaned and storefront windows displaying their best. It’s a great way of ‘cleaning house’ just before company comes.”

“I can never thank enough the civic groups and individuals who volunteer their time to promote and put on this time-honored event throughout its 100-year history,” Gilliam continued.

Bathon was asked why she feels Mardi Gras has lasted this long.

“The event is so large in the community,” she said. “People have continued to come back home and make an effort for it to last, I think that’s had a lot to do with it.

“Over the years, if you look back, there’s been a lot of things added or come and go and I think the parade is huge.”

“And I think it’s become a tradition,” Bathon continued. “A lot of class reunions, a lot of family come home. People have continued because it’s here.”

Conducting the parade this year are Janie Miller, Dana Carney, Randy Reiman, Tibretta Bigham-Reiman, Jill Fox and the

Perry County’s News Source. Locally Owned. Locally Staffed.

Pinckneyville Mardi Gras Reaches 100

A copy of the poster of the 43rd annual Mardi Gras celebration in 1965. Courtesy of the Perry County Jail Museum.

1934 Mardi Gras Queen Pageant Pages (left) Pauline Hincke Cawvey who later was crowned Mardi Gras Queen in 1947. Courtesy of the Perry County Jail Museum.

chamber board.

As far as events Bathon is excited about, Murphy-Wall State Bank has brought back the money scramble and sack races on October 29 at 10:30 a.m.

“When I was little, that was a big deal,” Bathon said. “I’m really excited that the kids are getting to do it and Murphy-Wall was able to sponsor it and the kids are really excited.”

For memorabilia hunters, shirts, sweatshirts and even license plates have been made to commemorate the event.

“The shirts have sold like crazy just because people want to have it,” Bathon said. “I don’t know if it’s for their great-grandkids or just to say they were there.”

Also available for purchase is a cookbook containing recipes contributed from past Mardi Gras queens. A cookbook was also created for the event’s 50th anniversary, and Bathon said those recipes are being carried over into the 100th anniversary cookbook.

“It will be a combined book, so that will be fun,” Bathon said. “There were drawings from kids back then and we pulled some of the drawings out of there to move forward on that.”