A Cancelled Mardi Gras Won't Stop the Ghosts of Galveston

There are two heated rivalries in the South. The first is football, and the second is who throws the better Mardi Gras party.

Outsiders may be shocked to discover Mardi Gras originally started in Mobile before making its way over to New Orleans and eventually Galveston.

But you can't tell a ghost to stay home and mask up.

When the Mardi Gras season comes around every year in Galveston, so does the supernatural. We don't expect the wandering souls to skip out on the party.

It's prime time to take a haunted tour of the city.

We know you've got a massive hole in your February social calendar this year. Allow us to guide your adventure into the spine-chilling paranormal world of Galveston, safe and socially distanced. Ghost City Tours has three different tour options on the haunted island suited for krewes of any age.

To grasp why spirits are more active during Mardi Gras, we have to go back to when the revelry first started.

Mardi Gras arrived in Texas in the form of private balls held inside the homes of the city's elite. The first roaring affair was hosted sometime in the 1850s at the home of one of the city's founders, Michel Menard.

The local newspaper reported more than 300 people attended the party, dressed as historical figures like Pocahontas, Lady Washington, and French Musketeers.

Amidst the elaborate attire, violins, and orchestrated dancing ... tragedy was brewing.

According to legend, when Menard's daughter Clara approached the staircase to make her grand entrance to the guests below, her feet got caught up in her extravagant gown. She plummeted down the stairs, fatally snapping her neck.

Some claim Clara's spirit never left the Menard House.

The house is open for public tours today. When February comes around, Clara's hazy apparition is spotted by guests at the foot of the stairs. She's still dressed in that extravagantly deadly gown. Spooky, but we're just getting started.

It took a while for Fat Tuesday in Galveston to transition from snobby private parties to a city-wide celebration of excess.

The catalyst was a secret society. Really.

In 1871, a mysterious group known as Knights of Momus (KOM) appeared with the marketing campaign of the century. They placed ads with cryptic messages and symbols in the local newspaper, alerting people to prepare for a show like nothing they'd ever seen.

Curious to what all the buzz was about, people lined the streets to see what was going to happen. They weren't disappointed.

The over-the-top torch-lit parade captivated the crowd, but it wasn't exactly squeaky clean, family-friendly fun.

Float themes were based on current politics. Keep in mind the Civil War had just ended, so many costumes were dripping with racism and sexism.

White citizens speculated that the mysterious group was an extension of the local Freemasons, but free blacks suspected KOM were members of the Klu Klux Khan.

"(Knights of Momus) are ghostly and intangible as midnight shadows … Who they are, whence they come, whither they go, no man knowth."
Galveston Daily News, 1871

Money and privilege alone wouldn't get Galvestonians a ticket to the most hyped part of the celebration, KOM's elusive ball. The krewe members snuck into their guest's homes to plant invitations in drawers, coat pockets, and even fire-proof safes.

At the ball, KOM members were sworn to secrecy. Rules forbid them to remove their costumes or masks in public. Even their girlfriends and wives weren't supposed to know their identities.

The old Tremont Opera House hosted the royal ball. Luckily for the paranormal-minded, the building still stands today. It's one of the stops on our all-ages Ghosts of Galveston Tour. We'll tell you all about the spirits said to haunt the building, including the one caught on the security camera footage.

The first year was a hit, and the city-wide party grew. Eager to get in on the fun, other krewes formed to rival KOM and hosted midday parades to compliment the big show Fat Tuesday evening.

Not just anybody could join a krewe. Women weren't allowed in the secretive organizations. However, daughters of the rich did get to appear in Mardi Gras courts.

Galveston's most notorious socialite Bettie Brown was one of the first to be named as Queen of a Krewe. Brown was the popular daughter of one of the richest men in Galveston and sent shock-waves through high society with her antics.

We'll tell you more about what exactly Bettie did that made her so controversial during our Galveston Haunted Cemetery Tour. The tour will stop at her grave. Just keep in mind, she hasn't shied away from the spotlight in her afterlife. As one of Galveston's most active ghosts, she may not resist making an appearance to reclaim her title as Queen.

The popularity of Mardi Gras in Galveston lasted a few decades until tragedy struck. A massive hurricane hit the island in 1900, killing an estimated 8,000 people. There were no major Mardi Gras celebrations for nearly ten years.

When it came back, Galveston had become an adult playground. The island was known for it’s gambling, prostitution, and illegal liqour. We’re sure the party got even wilder in these years. We’ll tell you all about the seedy history of Galveston on our adults-only ghost tour.

When the US entered World War II, Mardi Gras in Galveston came to a halt and didn't return for 40 years.

By the 1980s, the island was ready to give the party a reboot. KOM came out of retirement in 1984. Over time, the rules changed and the member's identities were no longer a secret.

KOM continues to dominate Galveston Mardi Gras today. The krewe hosts the largest parades in the city. Their extravagant balls are held at The Grand 1894 Opera House (also haunted, by the way).

More than a dozen krewes make up Galveston's modern version of Mardi Gras. While they won't be parading this year, the party is still alive on the island.

Galveston is hosting a Krewe of House Floats. Individuals have decorated their homes in the spirit of Mardi Gras. You can stop and view the house floats before heading to one of our Galveston Ghost tours.

Fat Tuesday as we know it may be canceled for 2021, but we invite you to join us to celebrate it a little differently. We may not have beads, but we can help you pig out on the paranormal.