The mango is such a happy fruit. If you say so, but it is colorful inside and out, and tastes so sweet to eat. The annual SoFlo parade celebrating the tropical delight is gearing up to get your juices flowing.<\/p>\n
The 42nd King Mango Strut will take over the streets of Coconut Grove on Sunday, January 4th.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a loud and lovely way for neighbors to get together.<\/p>\n
Jeremy Calleros Gauger: \u201cThe mango strut is a bunch of coconut grove people and their friends getting together to march in front of a bunch of other coconut grove people and their friends.\u201d<\/p>\n
The strut was born when some free-spirited folks weren\u2019t allowed to play with the well-behaved kids.<\/p>\n
Jeremy Calleros Gauger: \u201cForty-some years ago, a bunch of people tried to get into the Orange Bowl jamboree parade, and they wouldn\u2019t let them in \u2019cause their act was too goofy, and so they started their own strut.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGoofy\u201d is definitely good at this celebration.<\/p>\n
Jeremy Calleros Gauger: \u201cReally, it\u2019s just people coming together and forming groups, and we don\u2019t really care what they do as long as it\u2019s funny. We want it to be funny.\u201d<\/p>\n
The strut is bookended by plenty of chances to let your hair down and lose last year\u2019s blues.<\/p>\n
Jeremy Calleros Gauger: \u201cWe have a pre-party beforehand, we\u2019re closing the streets at noon, the parade\u2019s at 2, and then we have an after-party at Commodore Plaza and on Fuller Street.\u201d<\/p>\n
You\u2019ll be pleased to know that the message of this year\u2019s gathering is very reassuring.<\/p>\n
Jeremy Calleros Gauger: \u201cYeah, so this year\u2019s theme is this is fine. While the world is in a certain amount of chaos, we\u2019re just saying nothing to worry about here, this is fine.\u201d<\/p>\n
The event is a reminder of how unique and cool the grove has always been.<\/p>\n
Jeremy Calleros Gauger: \u201cIt\u2019s one of the events that\u2019s just an absolute staple that\u2019s one of the reasons people think about when they think about what makes Coconut Grove, Coconut Grove.\u201d<\/p>\n
Maybe the best part of King Mango Strut is that it extends your New Year\u2019s Eve partying for a few more days.<\/p>\n
Jeremy Calleros Gauger: \u201cInstead of staying sober after January, no, no, no, just give it a little time, right at least until the end of the weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n