Mardi Gras downtown Mount Pleasant Friday

Mount Pleasant does not have to wait until February to get a taste of Mardi Gras.

The city’s decade-long tradition kicks off at 3:30 p.m Friday downtown.

“It started with the purpose of uniting the student community with the Mount Pleasant community,” said Kathryn Hill, Art Reach Center of Mid Michigan executive director and Mardi Gras coordinator.

The festivities start with children’s arts and crafts, caricature drawing and face painting. A foam dance party will take place from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Heartstrings & Fun Things, 209 W. Broadway St.

“It’s a good crowd,” Hill said. “It always fills the streets.”

The festival is also featuring a cornhole tournament, with $100 going to the first place team and $50 to the second. There is a $10 registration fee and teams can sign up at artreachcenter.org. Cornhole is a game involving two teams trying to throw beanbags through a hole on a slanted board.

Both Central Michigan University’s and Mount Pleasant High School’s marching bands will march in the parade, which starts at 6:30 p.m., and the Marching Chips will play in the town center following the parade.

“We have two great local bands, so it’s exciting,” said Parade Coordinator Kris Roethlisberger.

The parade will start in Sacred Heart Parish‘s parking lot, loop through downtown and conclude at Sacred Heart.

The festivities end with a concert downtown by local jazz band The Saucecats. Their set starts at 7:30 p.m. at the town center and is expected to run until 9:30 p.m.

Hill expects approximately 3,000 people to attend and local stores, and downtown businesses are looking forward to potential customers.

“We get two to three times as many people, with all the added population,” said Kim Nelson, manager of the Downtown Soda Shop, 121 E. Broadway St.

The soda shop will be staying open later than usual and will offer a number of specials.

While business like the Downtown Soda Shop get an instant business boost, businesses like Ace of Diamonds see the benefits further down the road.

“You get so many people looking around before and after the parade,” Roethlisberger said, who also owns Ace of Diamonds, 128 E. Broadway St. “We can have 100 people in the store before and after. When else do you get 100 people in a jewelry store? Never, unless you give away diamonds.”

Roethlisberger’s business picks up after people try things on and make wish lists. Some people come back later and pick up those items for themselves or others.