SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KTIV) -
Sioux City's Pierce Street became Bourbon Street, Thursday night. As part of an annual tradition, people from our sister city, Lake Charles, Louisiana, stopped by show us how Mardi Gras is done right.
"We look forward to coming up here every single year," said one woman from Lake Charles.
To put on a fine festivale, you need a couple of things. First, good bayou. You'll find it in Alan Clark's kitchen. There his staff was hard at work, throwing together Cajun gumbo you can't resist. Take a peak in the pot, you'll like what you see. Chicken, sausage and more…
"The holly trinity. The combo of onions, peppers and celery. Our dark roux, which Executive Sous-chef Bob Dowd has made from scratch," said Clark.
Fun for the more than 200 hundred ready to eat it, even more fun to make.
"We look forward to this every year, it's one of those things that has become a tradition here," said Clark.
After the feast it's time to get fancy at the Mardi Gras Gala.
Costume creator John Chavanne had a few minutes to work out the kinks on his decadent designs before curtains. There are about 12 in all. It took him, and a handful of others, three months to put them together. Lots of sparkles, lots of feathers.
"A lot of peacocks, there's probably 1500 peacock feathers in here. There's probably 20 pounds of ostrich plumes," said Chavanne.
You'd better see them now, because when the show's over they're taken apart, never an easy thing for Chavanne to do.
"Oh yeah, these are my babies. These are my babies, but there's another one right behind, waiting to be created," he said.
This year's costume theme, the 1920's.
