In the 1870’s Mardi Gras in Galveston began its tradition of colorful costumes with elaborate parades and floats. By the 1800’s visitors from around the state of Texas arrived to take part in the extravagant masked Balls and Carnival parades, which flourished through the 1920’s at which time they were suspended due to World War I. After the war, these activities soon regained their splendor, until once again; they were suspended with the outbreak of World War II in 1941.

The elaborate parades remained a memory for 45 years until native Galvestonian, George Mitchell and his wife Cynthia, revived the citywide celebration in 1985, in concert with the grand opening of the Tremont House Hotel on the Strand. The first year’s Grand Night Parade featured 9 dazzling floats created by New Orleans float builder Blaine Kern, and the parade was led by famed jazz musician Pete Fountain.

The Krewe of Gambrinus was formed by Larry Del Papa of Del Papa Distributing, in 1989 under its original name, the Krewe of Brew. The Gambrinus Lights Up the Night Parade is held the first week of Mardi Gras and is 2 miles in length. World class floats and numerous marching bands comprise this family-friendly parade as it travels along the Seawall and into the Historic Strand District. Elaborate costumed characters accent the brightly lit floats while half a million beads are thrown to 300,000 of our closest friends!