February 28, 2007
Albany -- Bands, beads, and Bourbon Street. The real Mardi Gras was last week, but downtown Albany will celebrate this weekend, along with the Snickers Marathon Energy Bar Marathon and the Georgia Cup Maxxis Series Bike Race.
It's the Big Easy back in Albany. This is video from last year's Mardi Gras party. Organizers say this year's event will be even bigger.
"We've got train rides, slides, moon walks, Nascar simluators, all kinds of arts and crafts out here. A lot of things for the whole family to do," said Tommy Gregors.
Organizers say the festival has something for all, even four-legged friends. The goal of the event is to reach out to young and old.
"The older generation had got to the point where they didn't want to come downtown. The younger generation didn't know what downtown was. So we had almost an entire community that did not realize what was available in downtown Albany," said Phil Cannon.
Mardi Gras co-founder Phil Cannon says the event changes the notion of an uneventful downtown bringing thousands of people, from throughout the region. Organizers hope to attract up to 25,000 people, with a marathon and bike race happening the same day, and the weather should be better than last year.
"I think the rain's going to cooperate this year, and we're hoping for the best, and we're going to look forward to a clear weekend," said Tommy Gregors.
So far it's clear for many to see, this year's Mardi Gras fun is yet to begin, as Broad Avenue turns to Bourbon Street.
Organizers still need volunteers. You can help out by clicking on this link. http://www.albanyga.com/chamber/document/VolunteerFormallevents.pdf
The event runs from noon to midnight on Saturday on Broad Street.
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