TAMPA, Fla. — All that glitters is not gold.
What You Need To Know
On The Town at Busch Garden Tampa Bay for Mardi Gras celebrations
Weekends through March 1
Four parades a day, jazz band and bead balcony fun
New Orleans insipred dining
Just ask Loren Bracewell, longtime head of costuming at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.
“More is more, and more is never enough,” said Bracewell, standing in front of a fluffy mound of feathers, beading and sequins.
It’s his handmade Mardi Gras masks and hats.
Everyone in their weekend Mardi Gras celebrations is wearing a Bracewell design.
It’s his visions on paper that bloom into walking creations — a traditional court jester, a dancing bird, a krewe queen.
And he doesn’t waste — he repurposes.
Applique from a sleeve one year might be part of a necklace the next year.
And unlike a traditional stage show, you can’t hide imperfections in a parade — they’ll do four a day on weekends through March 1.
“The audience is all around them,” Bracewell said. “Everything has to look perfect out there.”
Bracewell credited the Costume Shop crew with bringing his ideas to life, some with tenures as long as Bracewell. That marks three decades of Christmas elves, Halloween zombies and Mardi Gras revelers.
The color schemes and décor continue into the park — along with cuisine choices like beignets and boudin balls.
It’s a way to keep the party going. Mardi Gras celebrations ended in South Louisiana on Tuesday, but the party doesn’t stop at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.