Everyone was right. MCCA was definitely like nothing I had ever seen.

I moved to Bogalusa in August, and so this past Saturday was the very first MCCA parade that I had ever witnessed. I didn’t know what to expect, but I had heard from lots of people that it would surpass my expectations.

Again, everyone was right.

I truly enjoyed watching the pageantry and spectacle of MCCA XXXVI on Feb. 6. I’m not sure who was having more fun — the people watching the parade, or those who were riding on the floats.

I definitely caught more than my share of beads, even managing to snag a few while looking through the lens of my camera. And I know my younger sister will be jealous of the MCCA bears.

I was also impressed by the amount of talent and creativity that was on display during the parade. Even though every float corresponded to the overall theme of “And the Winner Is…,” each den used their own special twist to fit that theme.

I would have to say my favorite floats were the Las Vegas-themed float and the Harry Potter-styled float, just because those are both major interests of mine. But every float was unique and fun in its own way. The costumes were great as well! It was like getting two Halloweens in one year.

I was equally impressed with how well behaved everyone seemed to be. Certainly, there are always going to be some bad apples in any large crowd, but for the most part everyone was polite. I even saw several adults handing rare throws to kids. It’s always nice to see good manners on display.

As I’ve said in other recent columns, I’ve never previously lived in a community that put such an emphasis on the Mardi Gras holiday season. It surprises me that more of the country doesn’t make a special point to enjoy this time of year as well.

I hope to get the chance to enjoy many, many more MCCA parades.

Thanks for reading The Daily News!

Justin Schuver is the publisher and editor of The Daily News.