Mardi Gras preview

Hattiesburg, Miss. - The Caerus Mardi Gras Parade is Saturday and big things are to be expected.

Caerus Mardi Gras Parade Director, Melissa Davis said, "We started the event five years ago and it's grown about 10-15 thousand people every year. We go into this fifth year expecting 60,000 plus participants and spectators. So it's a really big exciting event for our community to come together and to do something very uplifting and family-oriented."

The parade is well-known for its unique floats. And it's not too late for people to sign up to be in the parade lineup.

Davis said "participants can enter the lineup off of Highway 49 on Service up near Dairy Queen. We will have a registration table there and that's where all participants whether you've already registered or not that's where you will enter."

And what's Mardi Gras without a little bit of cool stuff getting tossed at you?

Davis said "there will be throws at the parade. You'll not only see beads, but you'll see moon pies, people will be tossing out the little nickel coins, wood nickels with specials from the restaurants and different businesses in town. Koozies, cups, t-shirts. You might want to bring a couple extra bags for all the awesome stuff you're going to catch."

The parade will start Saturday morning at 11 on Fourth Street.

This year's theme is the love of animals.