By, Carol Fisher-Linn
Mark your calendars for March, 14- 15, 2026. The only place you will want to be is in Ellicottville.
It’s Mardi Gras time!
According to History.com, the famed New Orleans Mardi Gras festivities began in 1699 when two French explorers landed in what is now New Orleans. The explorers held a small celebration and called their landing spot Point du Mardi Gras. It is from that small start that the idea of celebrating Mardi Gras has been a significant part of the NOLA (New Orleans, LA) culture.
In EVL (Ellicottville) every year since 1992 (34 years ago), this village has also had its own culture of holding a much-anticipated annual Mardi Gras parade, but, curiously, never on the official day called Mardi Gras. In fact, we have it in the middle of Lent, which makes no sense, especially if you know the real story about the official Madi Gras parade, which has been around for 293 years, long before our own celebration.
Now, to be honest, our pre-spring parade didn’t really start because Ellicottville decided it would be fun in mud season to play catch up after the official Mardi Gas was well gone. Ellicottville’s parade began for a very practical reason – Arlene Solly was planning a grand opening for her gorgeous store, Kazoo II which, with its eclectic variety is kind of a Mardi Gras all its own. A way was needed to get people into town on a weekend night when the ski areas were also having their Winter Carnivals. Traditionally, skiers came to town on that carnival Friday, got groceries and liquid refreshment, headed to their homes in the hills and didn’t come down until Sunday night on their way back home. Huge dilemma!
What’s a body to do? Well, the only logical thing, of course: hold a parade and bring everyone off the hills and into town. Involve everyone so their floats and marching groups will be part of the parade. Sound crazy? Everyone thought so, yet within three short weeks, the idea came to life. HoliMont and Holiday Valley created massive floats, women from the ski club – The Menopause Maidens – did a marching band routine in ski boots worthy of the Macy’s parade, Oscar Meyer sent their Wienermobile, a truck displayed the largest Canadian Flag I’ve ever seen, horses pulled a cart, kids marched, restaurants, stores, civic organizations and the ski areas gave us the most elaborate floats, the Ski Patrols and Safety Patrols lent many willing hands, Mayor John Burrell shook his head but gave his blessing, and Dennis Linn and his crew from the Department of Public Works moved snow and taped off the streets. Holiday Valley’s Jane Eshbaugh, Realtor Patti Crist and restaurateur Mike Kerns Sr. volunteered to become key, critical members of the team. Tommy O’Connor was our fabulous parade clown, Bobby McCarthy was our incredible announcer, Kuk somehow rigged up reggae music that played throughout the town and Hank Dubey of Special E*Fects gave us all the newspaper space we needed at no cost. Of course, the parade was led off by tuxedoed Bill Schell Master of Ceremonies and Ken Brown was our amazing stilted bejeweled King with realtor Ginger Anderson as the first of his many gorgeous Queens, the prelude to now, 34 royal couples. Twenty floats including actual snow hills on a Holiday Valley float, and vehicles or groups pulled together like the amazing community Ellicottville is known to be and kicked off our historic Mardi Gras parades with a flourish – in winter, on a state highway, at night, in three weeks. That year spectators were four deep along the entire parade route which started at the old fire hall on Mill Street. And, oh yes, why is it called Mardi Gras parade? You see, the winter carnival at Holiday Valley took place on Mardi Gras slope so we just made the village festivities an extension and named it Mardi Gras. And now, you know the rest of the story, as radio broadcaster, Paul Harvey used to say.
The fun continues at the ski areas: Holiday Valley – don’t forget the Yodeler Ice bar and rail jam and Slope parade on Mardi Gras slope. Costume parade line up at 11:45 Edelweiss Lean-To on Mardi Gras, parade at noon (remember there is a costume contest – you must ski the entire parade to be judged.) HoliMont will get in on the celebration with their Carpenter’s Corner BBQ on the 14th between 11am and 2pm.
“Laissez les bons temps rouler.”
Many thanks to MJ Brown and Jane Eshbaugh for their efforts to make this article come to life. –“Let the Good Times Roll.”