Good Times Roll for Mardi Gras in Helen, GA

Wait.  Mardi Gras in February?  In the Bavarian village of Helen, Georgia.  Sure.  Why not.

There are times when Helen is almost as weird as California — and, as a former resident, I say that with a smile.  Take, for example, Helen’s version of Mardi Gras, fashioned after “fasching,” which takes place on Saturday, February 11, 2016.

According to the University of Chicago:

Fasching is Germany’s carnival season. It starts on the 11th day of November at exactly [11:11 AM] and ends at the stroke of midnight on Shroud Tuesday – often referred to as Fat Tuesday (the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday).

Fasching (also known as Karneval) is a time of festivity and merry making – a time to
break the rules, poke fun at those who make them and … make your own … rules.

The fun on Saturday, February 11th begins with a Sidewalk & River parade through town about 1:00 PM.  Walk the parade route, then hop in a tube for the race to the finish.  The Helendorf Conference Center hosts a Fasching Party that starts at 7 PM.

That’s about all we know, except for the fact that beer and schnapps will be involved.  Pfft.  What’s the worst that can happen?

• Click Here for Helen’s Mardi Gras