In 1984 the Lake Wales Mardi Gras was created in memory of Vinton Davis, owner and operator of Vinton’s New Orleans Restaurant along with his wife. Vinton was quite a character and loved carnivals and particularly Mardi Gras in New Orleans. In fact, at one time he did join a carnival leaving his wife to run the business.

When Vinton died, his daughter Nancy Estes and his wife Nettie wanted a traditional New Orleans funeral with the parading of the casket with jazz bands and mourners. Unfortunately they could not do that so they decided to have a parade in his memory and call it the Lake Wales Mardi Gras. With the help of his step-son Jim Bernhardt, Netties brother Ed, friend Robert Connors and a handful of others, the Lake Wales Mardi Gras was planned.

The first Mardi Gras parade consisted of one band (Al’s Place Band), two Krewes (The Royal Order of the Red Swans and Shiners) and several marching revelers. They formed before a crowd of a couple of hundred spectators. Today we parade with over a dozen floats and krewes and march for about 50,000 spectators.

Come and join us in the tradition of fun and laughter.