San Jac is currently preparing for its participation in the La Porte Mardi Gras parade, held on Saturday, February 22, 2025, the parade will commence at La Porte High School and make its way down 100 S. Broadway Street, with a start time of 4 p.m.
Kristine Thompson, a committed staff member from San Jac. Thompson credits community involvement for the motivation behind the college’s participation.
“We were looking for more opportunities to engage in the La Porte community, so when the City of La Porte parade committee reached out to us to participate in this year’s event, we thought this would be a fun way to get involved,’’ says Thompson.
San Jac has had previous experiences in similar parades located in Galveston, Texas and New Orleans, Louisiana.
“Mardi Gras is about celebrating the culture and history of our region. San Jac College plays a significant role in this community, and I am looking forward to this unique opportunity to represent the college at this event,’’ says Thompson.
Thompson also emphasized the importance of teamwork and the positive impact the event has had on the volunteers. She expressed her hopes for the parade.
“I am looking forward to a fun afternoon with our San Jac volunteers and hope they have a positive experience participating on our float,’’ says Thompson.
This year, the faculty operations department at San Jac, guided by the innovative leadership of Ron Andell and the artistic talent of painter Raul Silva, is constructing and designing the parade floats. With a history of award-winning entries in community parades, the team is eager to bring their imaginative ideas to life and create a memorable debut for Mardi Gras.
Thompson has worked closely with Raul Silva.
“Before every community parade, I work with Raul and his award-winning design team on ideas for our float. We think of ways to incorporate the parade theme while highlighting San Jac to create a unique and exciting concept for us to use. Once we have decided on our approach, his team will work on bringing it to life while I recruit the volunteers who will join us at the parade and represent the college,’’ says Thompson.
Mardi Gras is the French term for “Fat Tuesday”, the holiday represents the last night for rich indulgences as observers prepare for the Christian fasting season. In addition to the Mardi Gras parade, there will be Second Line dancing, Mardi Gras Market, a free kid’s zone, food and drinks.
For more information visit https://www.visitlaportetx.com/mardigras.
