Lent will soon arrive. For many, it is time to decide what vices we will focus on during the preceding 40 days in honor of our beliefs. Many people will give-up chocolate or diet sodas. Others will try to stay in prayer, helping to heal their health or their relationships. Before the 40 day journey begins, we will celebrate with fatty foods, fuzzy drinks and colorful parades. Mardi Gras, in Southern California, is an experience everyone should take part of if you can't make it to New Orleans to celebrate. Here are a few places you will want to visit before Ash Wednesday.
Fowler Museum
1PM Concert with the New Orleans Traditional Jazz Band
In advance of Mardi Gras, the New Orleans Traditional Jazz Band takes the stage for an afternoon concert inspired by the exhibition New Orleans Second Line Parades. The Los Angeles-based band includes members from New Orleans who will pause throughout their performance to discuss the history of American music since 1803 (the year of the Louisiana Purchase) and leading up to the Swing Era. 2–4PM Fowler Families presents Little Mardi Gras with the New Orleans Traditional Jazz Band Follow the band in a lively procession into the Fowler’s Davis Courtyard, where jewelry-making and mask-decorating activities will be available to children of all ages from 2–4pm.
This exhibition of 40 color portraits by Louisiana-born photographer, Pableaux Johnson, documents members of African American Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs in New Orleans. These neighborhood-based associations are renowned for elaborate attire worn for Sunday brass band parades known as Second Lines.
Los Angeles Farmers Market -30th Annual Mardi Gras Celebration
Saturday & Sunday, March 2nd - 3rd & Fat Tuesday, March 5th.
L.A.'s favorite Mardi Gras celebration returns for its 30th year straight!
Join us for down-home fun and the finest New Orleans and Zydeco music, strolling parade bands, activities for kids, bead-throwing, and much more!
https://www.farmersmarketla.com/events
Pretend City
Tuesday, March 5 - Buy Tickets ahead of time.
“Laissez les bons temps rouler!” is French for “Let the good times roll!” It’s one of the most popular sayings during Mardi Gras. Join us at Pretend City and let the good times roll in our own Mardi Gras celebration! Sing, dance, and bake your way through the museum and end the day with a festive parade down our city streets.
Purpose Behind the Play: Perceptual motor skills and movement and social-emotional development.
Smart Art (Art Studio-Times Vary): Today in the Art Studio children will be able to decorate cardboard box floats to use in Conga line dance party and going home Parade.
Family Fitness Fun (11:30 am): No Mardi Gras celebration is complete without fun jazzy music to dance to the beat. Join us in Orange Plaza for a festive conga dance party!
Cooking Up Culture (3:00 pm): Visit the Real Café to learn about the traditional Kings Cake and the meaning behind it. After our discussion, we’ll sample some Kings Cake. Will you be the lucky one to get served the special surprise?
Carnival for Kids (4:30 pm): From the floats to the beads your children will enjoy participating in their very own carnival which will include a dance party. Children will be designing cardboard box floats in the art studio throughout the day and donning them during our going home parade!
Grown-up Tip: Try a new
Cajun recipe at home tonight! Make a grocery list with the ingredients you will need. At the grocery store, let your little shopper find the items on the list. Including your children in choosing these new food items will make them more likely to eat them at home, thus getting your child to try new foods, a challenge many parents struggle with.
Purchase your tickets
here:
Long Beach Shoreline Village & Rainbow Harbor
The annual LONG BEACH MARDI GRAS at Shoreline Village and Rainbow Harbor returns on Saturday, March 2, 2019! Join us for live music, food specials, and more 12pm – 5pm throughout Shoreline Village, and of course, our annual MARDI GRAS PARADE at a new earlier time – 2pm!
One of the largest annual free community events in Long Beach, California,#MardiGrasLB invites you to join thousands of cheering revelers as Shoreline Village hosts an afternoon of music, art, festivities, and more. Join folks of all ages in dressing up, dancing, and making merry along Long Beach’s beautiful Rainbow Harbor!
ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE
Hula Hoop Dancers, 12-1:30pm
Tarot Card Reader, 12-2pm
Stilt Walker, 12-3pm
DJ Gearson, 12-5pm
DJ Delvek, 12-5pm
Crawdaddio Live Zydeco, 12-5pm
Accordion Player (roaming), 1-4pm
Mask Making, 1-4pm (children only)
Face painting, 1-4pm (children only)
Photo Booth, 1-4pm
Caricature Artist, 1-4pm
Samba Dancers, 1-2:30pm
MARDI GRAS CORONATION (at Nautilus Shell), 1:30pm
Mime (roaming), 1:30-3:30pm
Chrisco and the Last Mile band, 2-5pm
PARADE, 2pm
Big Butter Jazz Band, 5:30-8pm
BEAD THROWS, throughout the day
ALL events will take place INSIDE SHORELINE VILLAGE (from the Yardhouse to Parkers Lighthouse)
https://shorelinevillage.com/long-beach-mardi-gras-2019-shoreline-village/
Santiago de Compostela Catholic Church
21682 Lake Forest Dr, Lake Forest, CA 92630
Ash Wednesday Services - March 6th
6:30 AM, 12:00 PM, 3:30 PM (Family Service), 5:00 PM, 6:30 PM
Wednesday Evening Masses During Lent
Every Wednesday at 6:00 PM
Stations of the Cross
Every Friday Evening During Lent at 6:00 PM (English) 7:00 PM (Spanish)
Lenten Penance Service
April 8th at 7:00 PM
Disclosure: Keep coming back there are more events that will be posted this week. Stay tuned!
We have the kids read silly and funny books to us to keep the magic of reading. Of course, our kids are now reading more intense books that discuss history, politics and math. Some of their current reads are very boring but necessary for their education. Having our kids read to us books like, "Have I ever told you?" helps to make family time silly and yet educational. As they read, this book actually sparked conversation about using uncomfortable words. The book talks about doing the right thing and being brave to discuss any topic they have questions about. As a result, our boys wanted to discuss why adults and some preteens / teens use foul language. We engaged in some very interesting and insightful dialog after reading the book. 
