Picayune’s Krewe of the Pearl will host its sixth annual Mardi Gras Parade on February 3rd.

This year’s king and queen for the Krewe are Tana Fernandez Cochran and Jimmy Watts.

Cochran is the organizer for this year’s parade and said that the goal this year is to keep the parade as traditional as possible.

The parade begins at 2 p.m. at Crosby Commons, located at 801 Goodyear Blvd. It will then turn onto Main Street before heading down West Canal Street, and finally turn onto Kirkwood Street before ending at Crosby Commons.

Cochran said in traditional style, the parade will feature a toasting at Southern Char.

After the parade, an after party will be held at Crosby Commons where a live band will perform, Watts said.

Cochran said that this year new members joined the Krewe of the Pearl and their focus will be to make the parade a community project.

“It’s not about who becomes the king or queen here, it’s about getting together and enjoying the day,” Cochran said.

A private crowning party for this year’s king and queen will take place on Jan. 6 at Southern Char Steakhouse.

The annual Krewe of the Pearl ball will be held on Jan. 27 at Hide-A-Way Lake Lodge, located at 510 E. Lakeshore Dr.  Cochran said tickets for the ball are available for purchase.

Members of the Krewe of the Pearl are inviting vendors to set up stalls at Crosby Commons the day of the parade.

Registration forms for riders, marching groups and floats for the parade, as well as tickets to the ball, are available on Krewe of the Pearl Facebook page. The deadline to register for the parade is January 22.