Student Union to host Mardi Gras celebration

Thursday, January 28, 2016

A celebration of Carnival atmosphere travels from New Orleans to the Oklahoma State University campus Feb. 9 as the Student Union, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, the Department of Music and University Dining Services coordinate a unique Fat Tuesday celebration.

The fifth annual Mardi Gras celebration will feature the Seretean Center Brass Band, a Second Line parade and a Mardi Gras-inspired meal served by University Dining Services. Many Carnival traditions, which commemorate the gradual turn of spring with feasting and dancing, have been celebrated around the world for centuries on Fat Tuesday, which is the conclusion of Carnival season. Mardi Gras in the Union will introduce some of those historical traditions to the OSU community.

This joyful celebration has developed over the years thanks to the dedication of Christine Crenshaw, Undergraduate Admissions director. Crenshaw’s passion for New Orleans culture and the “birthplace of jazz” gives the Mardi Gras celebration at the Student Union an authentic vibe.

“We are anxious to host this celebration of fellowship,” Crenshaw said. “We want every guest or student in the Student Union to interact and dance with us as we wave through the first and second floors replicating the Second Line tradition.”

This year, festivities begin at 11 a.m. with the Seretean Center Brass Band playing in the Student Union Atrium to set the Mardi Gras mood. The Second Line parade will follow the event kick off at 11:30 a.m. as First Cowgirl Ann Hargis, Pistol Pete and the Seretean Center Brass Band lead the parade. The public is encouraged to wear their favorite Mardi Gras colors and costumes and join the parade as it weaves through the first and second floors.  Following the parade, guests are encouraged to taste New Orleans-inspired items on the menus in the Student Union Food Court, including crawfish, gumbo, muffulettas and more. 

For more than 65 years, thousands of students, alumni, faculty and staff members have visited the Student Union every day, making it a central part of university life.  The building hosts a countless number of diverse programs and services as well as offers a wide selection of eateries and retail outlets. For more information about the Student Union and the Mardi Gras celebration, visit its website at union.okstate.edu. The Student Union can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube with the user name osuunion.