PC Downtown Mardi Gras
Downtown Panama City Mardi Gras, "the greatest free show on Earth," will kick off The Mardi Gras season in Bay County. with the annual Meet the Krewe of Massalina Block Party.
Live Music, great food and beverages, as well as The Krewe of Massalina’s Mardi Gras T-shirts and posters will be available.
The festival features a host of vendors, along with food and beverage booths. Like the parade, the festival is free and open to everyone.
The Krewe of Massalina has approximately 90 members, and membership is open to anyone 18 or older. Members ride on seven floats, but we also invite floats from other organizations to join our parade.
The parade will also feature marching bands, horse riding clubs, classic car clubs, and other entities.
The Krewe of Massalina was born on the Bayou, Massalina Bayou. 1999 was the first year the Krewe of Massalina participated in the St Andrews Mardi Gras Parade, Bill Smith was contacted by Lisa Coleman (then a member of the Krewe of St Andrews) to participate in the Mardi Gras Celebration in St. Andrews. Bill promptly educated the patrons and employees of his restaurant on the virtues of Mardi Gras and the Krewe of Massalina was created.
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Being from New Orleans and being an accomplished artist Bill Smith just could not stop himself from creating the most outstanding Mardi Gras Float. It was evident from all the fun that was had on that first ride that this group was headed for bigger and better things.
The Krewe of Massalina will be celebrating their ninth year as a Krewe and their seventh parade when they take the annual tour down Harrison Ave.
The Krewe grows in number, the floats get grander, and the membership becomes more diverse with each passing year, but one thing never changes and that’s the extreme fun that is had by all the Krewe riding in the Mardi Gras parade.
Mardi Gras is a carnival season of revelry and romance, madness and music, parades and parties that begins on Jan. 6 - the Epiphany, a religious holiday commemorating the visit of the Three Kings to the Christ Child.
Mardi Gras, or "Fat Tuesday," is always 47 days before Easter, which can fall on any Sunday between March 23 and April 15. The carnival season consists of the weeks leading up to Mardi Gras day.
What distinguishes Mardi Gras parades from other parades are the "throws," or trinkets thrown from a krewe's float. "Throw me something, Mister," is the cry of thousands as they line the parade routes in hopes of catching a beautiful set of beads, plastic Krewe cups, medallion necklaces and special collector's-item doubloons.
Since Krewes are nonprofit Mardi Gras clubs, the Krewe members put on the show and pay the cost of the floats, costumes and throws. They also lend financial support to charitable causes. The Krewe of Massalina is a traditional Mardi Gras Krewe striving to preserve the history of Mardi Gras while working hand in hand with the area's schools and civic organizations to improve our community.
The Krewe of Massalina is always looking for new members and sponsors (so we can have more floats and a bigger Parade) so if you want to have to much fun JOIN US! For additional information on Krewe activities and membership call 850.913.8383 or email.
Take a look at our pictures of past St. Andrews Mardi Gras
(you can send these as postcards, too!).
The Krewe of Massalina hopes that they will see
you at the Block Party, Parade and Festival, ya’ll come on down
to the Avenue and we will show you a good time. 
