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AFTERNOON.[2025 Carnival Kick Off Celebration February]
WITH MY SPEECH, I'M GONNA TURN THE MICROPHONE OVER TO CATHERINE.YOU WANT ME TO SAY YES? WHEN I SAY JP, YOU SAY 200.
SO WHEN I SAY JP, YOU SAY 200 JP.
THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US ON THIS VERY, VERY SPECIAL DAY FOR US.
OUR JEFFERSON PARISH, 200TH BIRTHDAY.
THIS IS OUR BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
WE KICKED OFF THE DAY ON GRETNA.
NOW WE'RE HERE IN LAKESIDE MALL, COMBINING OUR BICENTENNIAL FESTIVITIES WITH OUR CARNIVAL CELEBRATION.
SO IT HAS BEEN A HEAD SPINNING COUPLE OF DAYS FOR US IN THIS REGION, ESPECIALLY HERE IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
JUST AS MARDI GRAS CELEBRATES THE SPIRIT OF UNITY AND REVELRY, THE BICENTENNIAL REMINDS US TO HONOR OUR HISTORY MARKING BOTH THE JOY OF THE PRESENT AND THE LEGACY OF THE PAST.
TOGETHER THEY CREATE A VIBRANT TAPESTRY OF CULTURE, TRADITION, AND THE UNBREAKABLE BOND OF OUR JEFFERSON PARISH COMMUNITY.
TODAY WE'RE RECOGNIZING MANY CAPTAINS, KINGS, QUEENS, AND GRAND MARSHALS OF ALL OF OUR JEFFERSON PARISH CARNIVAL CREWS.
THE BICENTENNIAL YEAR KICKS OFF TODAY AND WE'LL INCLUDE A VARIETY OF COMMUNITY EVENTS, LOCAL INITIATIVES, AND NEW PROJECTS THAT INSTILL A SENSE OF PRIDE FOR JEFFERSON PARISH.
OUR BICENTENNIAL MARDI GRAS SEASON IN JEFFERSON PARISH WILL INCLUDE 12 PARADES ON BOTH THE EAST AND WEST BANK.
THE 2025 PARADE SEASON WILL START WITH LITTLE RASCALS ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16TH, AND CONTINUE THE FOLLOWING WEEKEND FOR FAMILY GRA AND METTERY WITH THE CREW OF EXCALIBUR ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST.
THE MAGICAL CREW OF MAD HATTERS ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22ND, AND THE CREW OF ATLAS ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD.
AND THE WEST BANK ROUTE WILL INCLUDE THE MYSTIC CREW OF MUSIC ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24TH, THE CREW OF NANDI ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH, AND THEN THE MET PARADES KICK BACK UP AGAIN WITH THE CREW OF SYMPHONY ON THURSDAY THE 27TH, ATHENA ON SUNDAY, MARCH THE SECOND, AND CENTURIONS AND THE CREW OF KINGS ON MONDAY, MARCH 3RD.
WE CELEBRATE WITH ARGUS, THE CREW OF ARGUS AND THE ELKS CREW OF JEFFERSONIANS.
ON FACT, TUESDAY, MARCH 4TH, ALL OF THE PARADES IN MET ARE GONNA RETURN TO THE TRADITIONAL ROUTE ON VETERANS BOULEVARD, THE VERY TRADITIONAL ROUTE.
UM, I'D LIKE TO THIS TIME TO INTRODUCE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO ARE HERE TODAY, AND IN ATTENDANCE, OF COURSE, OUR CHAIRMAN, SCOTT WALKER, COUNCILMAN JOE MARINO, COUNCILMAN ATO BOHANNAN, COUNCILMAN HANS BURG, AND MR. THOMAS JEFFERSON HIMSELF.
ALSO, WHY DIDN'T HE COME UP HERE? KEN OR MAYOR MIKE GLAZER SHOULD ALSO BE UP HERE WITH US.
UM, KENNER COUNCILMAN RONNIE SCHWART IS HERE.
KENNER COUNCILMAN, UM, TOM WILMAN.
I ALSO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE OUR FORMER PARISH PRESIDENT, MR. TIM LON, OUR FORMER ASSESSOR, MR. LAWRENCE, SHE HARDY, WHO'S ALSO HERE REPRESENTING ARGUS AS WELL.
IF I FORGOT ANYBODY, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
UM, MR. ARTHUR HARDY IS IN THE ROOM, SO WOULDN'T BE A CARNIVAL CELEBRATION WITHOUT MR. ARTHUR HARDY.
SO WITH THAT, UM, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO COUNCILMAN HANS BURG, WHO REPRESENTS DISTRICT FIVE, WHICH IS THE HEART OF THE MEY PARADE ROUTE, AND HE'S GONNA INTRODUCE SOME OF THE CREWS THAT PARADE IN MEY.
THIS IS REALLY EXCITING TO BE HERE.
UM, AS, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, WE, WE NORMALLY DO THIS IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS, UH, BECAUSE IT'S OUR 200TH ANNIVERSARY.
UH, WE'RE DOING IT HERE AT LAKESIDE MALL.
UM, THANK YOU TO THE MALL AND THE, AND THE FILE ORGANIZATION FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE.
THEY'VE BEEN VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING US CELEBRATE OUR 200 200TH ANNIVERSARY.
UM, BEFORE I, BEFORE I BEGIN THIS, I JUST WANNA SAY WE, UH, WE HAD A, A BIG STREET RENAMING A WHILE BACK WHERE WE NAMED SMUS AWAY.
SOME OF Y'ALL MIGHT HAVE SEEN THAT.
UH, IN HONOR OF, OF MR. ALICE MUZZA.
I WORE A PAIR OF CRAWFISH, UM, SLIPPERS AND, UH, I THOUGHT THAT WAS BAD, BUT DINO'S DEFINITELY GOT ME BEAT
UM, ALRIGHT, SO BEFORE, LET'S, LET'S INTRODUCE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SPEAK BEFORE WE START WITH THE BATTERY.
ALRIGHT, UH, BEFORE WE, WE, WE RECOGNIZE THE CREWS.
UH, IF ANY OF THE OTHER COUNCIL PEOPLE UP HERE WOULD LIKE TO SAY A LITTLE SOMETHING, PLEASE FEEL FREE.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT.
BESIDES KICKING OFF OUR 2025 CARNIVAL SEASON.
AS YOU KNOW, TODAY IS THE ACTUAL BIRTHDAY OF JEFFERSON PARISH, 200 YEARS OLD TODAY.
AND I COULDN'T PICK A BETTER PERSON TO REPRESENT OUR PARISH THAN THOMAS JEFFERSON.
HE WAS WAY AHEAD OF HIS TIME, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT CAME TO GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS.
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HE WAS A WONDERFUL LEADER AND I'M PROUD TO CALL IT JEFFERSON PARISH, THE PARISH NAMED AFTER THOMAS JEFFERSON.IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A BIG BALL RIGHT HERE IN THIS MALL IN JUNE, TAKING UP THE WHOLE MALL WITH A GIANT CELEBRATION.
YOU CAN GO ONLINE WITH THE JACKSON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AND GET YOUR TICKETS.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING FOR SPONSORS.
IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUR BUSINESS TO GET FRONT AND CENTER AMONGST ALL THE JEFFERSON PARISHES, ELECTED OFFICIALS, BUSINESS LEADERS, ET CETERA.
GOOD AFTERNOON, ARITA BOHANNAN FROM DISTRICT FOUR.
UM, I'M SUPER EXCITED TO BE CELEBRATING OUR 200TH AS WELL, BUT I'M JUST AS EXCITED ABOUT THE NEXT 200 AND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM BOTH BANKS HERE AND WE HAVE EVERYONE FROM OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, UM, OUR CONVENTION AND TOURISM COMMUNITY.
IT JUST SAYS IT'S A TESTAMENT TO OUR PARISH.
SO CONGRATS ON OUR 200, BUT LET'S GO FOR THE NEXT 200.
I'M SCOTT WALKER, COUNCILMAN AT LARGE FOR JEFFERSON PARISH.
IT'S NOT OFTEN IN GOVERNMENT THAT WE GET TO HAVE BIG FUN EVENTS LIKE THIS ON A DAY, MUCH LESS A YEAR.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS YEAR AND ALL THE EVENTS THAT JEFFERSON PARISH IS GONNA HAVE TO OFFER.
YOU HEARD ABOUT THE GALA, MARDI GRAS PARADES, A LOT OF THINGS IN BETWEEN TAKING US ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE END OF 2025.
SO THANKS FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
THANKS FOR CELEBRATING WITH US AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO A GREAT BICENTENNIAL YEAR.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEFFERSON PARISH.
JOE MARINO, INTERIM COUNCILMAN.
I WAS TOLD I HAVE TO COME UP HERE AND SAY A FEW WORDS, SO I JUST DID.
ALRIGHT, NOW WE'LL, UH, WE'LL RECOGNIZE THE, THE CREWS.
FIRST THE, THE CREW OF MUSIC CAPTAIN HENRY SMITH, DR. RAYMOND M. DELANEY, JR.
KING TWO S KEY ON FOLEY GR GRIFFIN.
QUEEN TWO MYSTIC CREW OF MUSIC.
EBONY MFIN, THE CAPTAIN CREW OF NAY.
OKAY, THIS IS A, THE CREW OF EXCALIBUR, CAPTAIN MELISSA HILDRETH.
THE QUEEN ONE DIDN'T HEAR THEY SENT IT'S HERE.
YOU MARK BELL, PROUT KING, 23RD CREW OF EXCALIBUR.
SHANTE AMOS QUEEN, CREW OF EXCALIBUR.
ALRIGHT, THIS IS THE CREW OF MET HATTERS.
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CAPTAIN JOEY LACOSTE TO SEE YOU.RACHEL FLEETWOOD IS ALICE AND THE GRAND MARSHAL OF MAD HATTERS.
THE CREW OF ATLAS CAPTAIN DANNY MURRAY.
NO, NO THAT, NO, THAT'S CRYSTAL.
QUEEN CREW OF ATLAS CRYSTAL ANN ABBO, CREW OF STEPHANIE.
CO-CAPTAIN CREW OF SYMPHONY KING.
JOSEPH BARNES, QUEEN SYMPHONY, THE VIII.
APRIL RENEE NOBLE AND THE GRAND MARSHAL OF THE CREW OF SYMPHONY MIA.
CAPTAIN ANDY LABUFF, THE KING OF THE CREW OF TORIAN.
QUEEN STACEY RASH AND THE GRAND MARSHALL SCOTT CORN OFFERER CREW OF KINGS.
CAPTAIN MCKINLEY CANTRE, CAPTAIN FREY, THIER KING,
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DR.TOMMY OLO, QUEEN MARY SPAWN AND THE GRAND MARSHALL CREW OF KINGS.
ROBERT DEVENEY, CO-CAPTAIN CROW OF VARGAS.
LAWRENCE, SHE HARDY THE QUEEN CROW OF VARGAS.
SOPHIE CHILAN ELKS, CREW OF JEFFERSONIANS.
MIKE JUAN, CAPTAIN CREW OF ATHENIA, TAISHA WILLIAMS, PAYNE, QUEEN ATHENIA 10.
PATRICK'S PARADE OF JEFFERSON.
KELLY CARRIGAN, SENIOR CAPTAIN, GRAND MARSHALL, BRIAN ABERT, THE QUEEN.
ALRIGHT, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THE IRISH ITALIAN PARADE CAPTAIN JASON RENTON.
IRISH GRAND MARSHALL RICKY TEMPLATE AND THE SECOND BEST.
IRISH ITALIAN, IRISH, I MEAN ITALIAN GRAND MARSHALL.
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TO COME UP HERE AND GET A PICTURE WITH US, PLEASE.READY? ALL RIGHT, LET'S GIVE A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ALL OF OUR ROYALTY.
ALL THE CREWS, THEY WORK SO HARD TO GIVE US SUCH A STRONG CARNIVAL SEASON IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
IF YOU WANNA KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT CARNIVAL IN JEFFERSON PARISH, THE WEBSITE IS WWW.JEFFPARISH.GOV/CARNIVAL SEASON AND YOU CAN SEE THE WHOLE DASHBOARD.
I DO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT HAVE SHOWN UP SINCE THE BEGINNING.
WE HAVE COUNCILMAN JENNIFER VAN RANKIN.
SHE'S AN OUT LARGE MEMBER HERE, AS WELL AS, UM, MAYOR TIM BODIER FROM HARAHAN.
SO WANNA INTRODUCE THEM, UM, ALSO TO RECEIVE PARADE UPDATES AND ALERTS REGARDING OUR ROUTES, WEATHER, ENTERTAINMENT AND MORE.
YOU WANNA MAKE SURE YOU'RE ON THE TEXT.
TEXT JP MARDI GRAS TO 8 8 8 7 7 7.
NOW WHO'S READY TO DANCE? OKAY, IN TRUE JEFFERSON PARISH CARNIVAL FASHION, WE'RE GONNA INVITE EVERYBODY TO BE IN A SECOND LINE WITH US.
WE HAVE GREAT MUSIC, WE'RE GONNA DO A SECOND LINE.
WE GAVE YOU THE FLAT, THE, UM, THE HANDKERCHIEFS.
SO WE'RE GONNA SECOND LINE, AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.
EVERYBODY NEEDS TO COME BACK HERE FOR THE, FOR THE CEREMONY TO CONTINUE BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME VERY SPECIAL GUESTS AND A SONG THAT WE WANNA INTRODUCE AND A LINE DANCE.
SO LET'S JUST SECOND LINE, IT'S GONNA GIVE OUR GENERAL SERVICES TIME TO MOVE THE CHAIRS AWAY AND THEN WE'LL COME RIGHT BACK HERE.
SO LET'S GET STARTED WITH THE SECOND LINE.
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WHAT A WAY TO START A BICENTENNIAL.LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WHAT A WAY TO START THE YEAR.
SO WE WANNA CONTINUE THIS CEREMONY AND THANK LAKESIDE SHOPPING CENTER FOR HOSTING US THIS AFTERNOON.
UM, I ALSO WANNA THANK THE SETUP GENERAL SERVICES, OUR RECREATION DEPARTMENT, JPRD, OUR PARKWAYS, OUR PUBLIC INFORMATION TEAM RIGHT HERE, ARIO CENTER AND LAFFER PARK.
HOW ABOUT THESE LIGHTS? THIS WAS PART OF OUR CHRISTMAS DISPLAY.
LAFFER PARK BROUGHT 'EM OUT TODAY.
WE DON'T ORDER 'EM FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE.
OUR OWN EMPLOYEES MAKE THIS SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF 'EM.
ENTERTAINMENT BY THE JAY WALKER SECOND LINE BAND DID A GREAT JOB FOR US.
AND THEN I ALSO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE SOME OF OUR PARTNERS WITH US HERE TODAY FOR THIS BICENTENNIAL WITH THE SWAG.
UM, THE JEFFERSON CHAMBER FOUNDATION ALSO HAS THE POSTER FOR SALE.
THAT'S OUR BEAUTIFUL BICENTENNIAL POSTER DESIGNED BY BECKY FOS THAT WAS DONATED TO US BY, UH, TRANSDEV.
THE ORIGINAL PAINTING HANGS IN GRETNA, THE ENGRAVING COMPANY FOR THE BRANDED ITEMS FOR SALE.
YOU WANNA CHECK OUT THEIR LITTLE BOOTH, THAT TABLE OVER THERE FOR SOME BEAUTIFUL BICENTENNIAL SWAG.
UM, THE NEW ORLEANS TRACK CLUB IS INFORMATION WITH THE PARK TO PARK THAT'S COMING UP THE THE 10 K.
AND REMEMBER DAWN BUSTERS IS HAVING A KING CAKE PARTY THIS SATURDAY, UM, AT LAIER PARK SATURDAY AT 11, A KING CAKE AROUND LAIER PARK.
AND THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING.
SO CHECK OUT JEFFERSON PARISH.GOV/JP 200 WHERE YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL LOGO AND SEE THE WHOLE COMMUNITY OF EVENTS.
I WANNA HAVE A SPECIAL SOMEONE COME UP.
UM, THIS GENTLEMAN, MR. SMITH, COME ON UP.
MR. SMITH AND MS. THOMAS, IRMA THOMAS AND MR. RICHARD SMITH.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MR. SMITH REACHED OUT TO US AND WANTED TO DONATE A SONG FOR THE BICENTENNIAL AND HE HAS SOME BIG STRINGS TO PULL WHEN HE GOT IRMA THOMAS TO SING THE SONG.
SO I WANNA GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY.
WE SAID WE HAVE TO DO A LINE DANCE TO THIS SONG.
DANCE CONNECTION LADIES HELPED US DO IT.
WE PRACTICED HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THE YEAR EVERYBODY'S GONNA KNOW THIS LINE DANCE, BUT IF YOU'RE A LINE DANCER, SO YOU CAN JUMP IN WITH US, BUT I WANNA TURN THE MIC OVER TO IRMA THOMAS AND MR. RICHARD SMITH TO GIVE US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR BICENTENNIAL SONG.
I REALLY DON'T FEEL LIKE A STRANGER BECAUSE A LOT OF YOU OUT THERE I'VE EITHER SUNG FOR YOUR PROM, YOUR WEDDING, YOUR ANNIVERSARIES OR SOMETHING BECAUSE I'VE BEEN AROUND SINCE MUD AND I REALLY LOVE IT THE FACT THAT SOME OF MY FANS ARE STILL AROUND TO BE A PART OF MY LIFE AND THAT I AM A PART OF THEIRS.
AND I FEEL VERY HONORED THAT RICHARD SMITH THOUGHT ENOUGH OF ME TO WANT ME TO DO JEFFERSON PARISH'S 200 YEAR SONG.
WE HAD FUN, ALTHOUGH I HAD TO TEACH HIM HOW TO SING A LITTLE BIT
SO THEY'RE GONNA BE SHOWING THE VIDEO OVER HERE.
AND SO I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT JEFFERSON PARISH IS A PARISH, ORLEANS IS A PARISH, BUT THEY ARE SISTER PARISHES.
SO I'M A MEMBER OF BOTH OF THEM.
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I'VE SUNG AT EVERYBODY'S RELIGIOUS PARTIES AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I'VE EVEN SUNG AT A FEW DIVORCE PARTIES TOO.SO, BUT I GET BLAMED FOR A LOT OF THINGS BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE SONGS I DID BACK IN THE DAY AND, AND THOSE ARE THE SONGS THAT ARE MOST REQUESTED.
BUT TODAY YOU'RE GONNA HEAR THE SONG THAT I RECORDED FOR JEFFERSON PARISH 200TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY.
WELL, WELL, WELL HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEFFERSON PARISH.
JEFFERSON PARISH IS THE ENGINE OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN THE METROPOLITAN AREA.
IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL TO ME AND I'VE BEEN BLESSED OVER THESE YEARS AND THIS WAS JUST A WAY OF GIVING BACK HOPE.
Y'ALL ENJOY THE SONG, RIGHT? ALRIGHT, BEFORE WE CUE THE SONG, WE'RE GONNA LINE DANCE IN THE MIDDLE.
SO IF YOU'RE NOT A DANCER, GIVE US A LITTLE SPACE DANCE CONNECTION.
ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES WHO KNOW THE TIME TO COME UP, TIME TO COME UP.
EVERYBODY GIVE US A LITTLE SPACE BEFORE THEY CUE THE SONG.
AND IF YOU CAN LINE DANCE AND YOU CAN LEARN TO QUICKLY JUMP IN WITH THIS.
HE DIDN'T KNOW NO THAT THE LAND HE BROUGHT FROM FRANCE WOULD PROSPER AND GROW FROM BUCKTOWN TO LA FEET WHERE ROCKING MUSIC MOVES YOUR FEET.
COME ON BACK HOME TO JEFFERSON WHERE YOU BELONG.
THOMAS DIDN'T KNOW COME ON BACK HOME, HE DIDN'T KNOW COME ON BACK HOME.
BUT THE SAFES WOULD PRACTICE WHERE HURRICANE WE GOT AND POPEYE'S.
CHICKEN J IS THE PLACE THAT KNOW THE BEST WOMEN COMING BACK HOME TO JEFF.
WELL COME ON HOME FOR OUR 200 BIRTHDAY.
WE'LL TOAST OUR GLASSES LIKE IT'S MARDI GRAS DAY IN JEFFERSON WHERE YOU BELONG.
KEEPS A HEART WHERE BELONG WITH HENRY TOAST.
AUGUST, COME BACK HOME AND HARRIS SPIRIT KEEPS US SAFE WHERE YOU BELONG WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCH IN.
ALRIGHT, ON BEHALF OF LAKESIDE SHOPPING CENTER AND THE FILE ORGANIZATION, WE WANNA WISH JEFFERSON PARISH A HAPPY 200TH BIRTHDAY.
WE ARE THRILLED TO HOST THE BICENTENNIAL GALA ON JUNE 14TH.
THEY'RE ON TICKET SALE RIGHT NOW.
AND BEFORE WE TOAST, I JUST WANNA THANK MIKE, OUR EMERGENT PRESIDENT FOR DONATING THE ENGRAVED LIGHTUP GLASSES.
WHERE'S MIKE? RIGHT THERE, RIGHT MIKE? THANK YOU.
UM, WE ARE SERVING CHAMPAGNE RIGHT HERE.
SO GRAB YOUR LIGHT OF GLASS AND WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA SAY, UH, A CHEERS TO 200 EARS REAL QUICK.
ALRIGHT, IT LOOKS LIKE THE GLASSES
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ARE PASSED OUT.WE'RE GONNA, UH, ON THREE, JUST SAY CHEERS TO 200 YEARS.