People traveled from near and far to Padre Island for the 15th Barefoot Mardi Gras parade hosted by the Padre Island Business Association on Saturday.
“It brings us together because we get to celebrate something, like as a whole, and everybody’s here for the same thing. Nobody’s worried about any kind of differences. You know, everybody’s just like here to have fun and be happy," Margarita Gonzalez, a visitor from Houston, said.
Margarita Gonzales, who made the 4-hour drive down from Houston, is not alone when it comes to people traveling to the island just for Barefoot Mardi Gras.
A youth gymnastics team from Canada, along with their parents, were visiting Corpus Christi for a gymnastics competition at Mary Jane's Gymnastics this weekend when they heard about Barefoot Mardi Gras and decided to go.
“We came because it looks really fun, and we wanted beads," one of the Canadian gymnasts said.
Barefoot Mardi Gras is a family-friendly event for all ages, and some furry friends even made an appearance. The parade was full of golf carts, floats, music, and even horses.
“A lot of different local businesses have come by, obviously the mayor, the fire department, the police department," Samuel Longoria, a Padre Island neighbor, said.
There was no shortage of families spending quality time together with some fun under the sun.
“Today I’m here with my mom, my aunt, my uncle," Gonzalez said.
From first-timers to experienced Barefoot Mardi Gras attendees, everyone got to experience a little taste of coastal cajun.
“This is going on my fourth year," Longoria said.
Every year, Barefoot Mardi Gras raises money for several charities.
“And our three charities this year are the Island American Legion Post 229, the Corpus Christi Firefighters Care Foundation, and the Texas Sealife Center," John and Millie Stokes, the King and Queen of Barefoot Mardi Gras 2025, said.
The Padre Island Business Association members said they are looking forward to the next Barefoot Mardi Gras celebration next year.
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