If you live in the New Orleans area this time of year, it’s impossible to avoid. Mardi Gras parade season and all the accompanying revelry is in full swing, and offices, houses, people and even pets are awash in purple, green and gold.

Of course, New Orleans and, to a lesser degree, Metairie are the epicenters of Carnival festivities, but there is plenty of fun to be had right here in the River Parishes.

In St. John the Baptist Parish, the Krewe of Towahpasah kicks things off with their annual informal procession through the streets of Reserve on Saturday, March 5, at 1 p.m. The next day the more traditional Krewe du Monde rolls through the streets of LaPlace at noon. In St. Charles Parish, the Krewe of Lul will parade on Saturday, March 5, at noon, and the Krewe of Des Allemands will roll on Sunday, March 6, at 2 p.m. St. James Parish will be the site of the relatively new Krewe of Tomorrow parade, which rolls on Fat Tuesday.

While some of these parades may not be quite as elaborate as those in New Orleans, they offer something no New Orleans parade could ever give — they take place in your own community. Events like these serve a greater purpose than merely providing a party

in the streets; they strengthen community bonds and act as a sort of gauge of the strength of a place and the people who live there.

So, this weekend go out and enjoy the traditional parades in the city. They are entertaining and quite a bit of fun to be sure. But next weekend take the opportunity to reconnect with your community and remember why you call the River Parishes home in the first place.