02/13/2018
Today marks a very special anniversary for me. This is our 12th, yes 12th!!!!! Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras Parade on Flagler Avenue. The parade is the very first event our motley crew put together as we first joined together as the Hospitality Group. I still remember sitting in the back of the OM Bar with Shelly (now retired from Peanuts), Bobby (then from Flagler Tavern, now NSB Sea Shack) and Joe (Toni & Joe’s) talking about how we could all work together. I recall us throwing ideas around and then Shelly said I’ve always wanted to throw a parade. That was it. A light bulb burst on in my head and it was like a scene out of The Little Rascals with someone shouting in my ear “Let’s put on a show!” And the Mardi Gras Parade was born. I remember trying to explain to Adele Aletti and Fran Bremer that us upstart bar and restaurant owners could throw a parade and if we built it, they would come. I remember the look of shock and horror on their faces, doubt grimacing from ear to ear. But, to their credit and a lot of convincing from Shelly, Bobby and I, they gave their blessing and closed their eyes and crossed their fingers and we were off!
I recall Mark stressing out over the first of many floats, this one, our original “boat float” which was built from a base of Dave Fernandez’s boat and a shared float between OM Bar & Traders. Yes, Virginia we did get along lol. I remember Liz Yancy volunteering her personal time to help with parade line up (the only one with parade experience at the time after doing the city Christmas parade for forever). I remember sitting at parade line up, then at the beach parking lot, with no view of Flagler Avenue and no idea if there was anyone out there when we turned the corner. I was scared. It’s like that feeling when you prep all day for a party and everyone is late and you have no idea if anyone will come, after all it was then a 2 block parade lol. (Hey now its still only 4 blocks). The wheels on the float started turning, I held my breath, grabbed some beads and we turned the corner. To my surprise we were greeted with the roar of thousands of people standing along the parade route. It was magical, exhilarating and stupid, crazy fun. It was also the anniversary of my Grandfather’s passing the year before. I took a moment to say a silent thank you to him watching over me and never looked back.
Now 11 years later in our 12th year approaching our 12th parade, I am taking a moment to breath it all in before the craziness starts. Shelly, Bobby and Dave (RIP) are all gone from Flagler Avenue. The OM Bar is gone. Adele and Liz have retired. And our dear Franny has passed. Only Joe, Mark and I are left from the original crew. No more golden float. No more golden buddha. All just wonderful memories. All the changes that have happened over these past years. It’s a lot to take in. For good or for bad, the future marches on. Last year Mark and I took a break from the stress of building a new float from the ground up each year due to everything going on in our personal life. I had the chance to see the parade as you all see it from the street in front of the OM Bar last year for the first time and I have to say I was a little proud of this little parade that could.
This year, Mark and I will for the last time ever be representing The OM Bar, and riding in the front of the parade as your King & Queen. This will be the first time we actually get to ride it together as he was always driving our float. I am truly honored to be able to take one last ride along the parade route in the name of OM Bar with the man I love, who put up with so many many hours of me focused on Flagler Avenue instead of each other. I am grateful that fate brought us back together in time to share this moment together and put OM Bar to rest. It will be a little bittersweet driving past the now empty lot where OM Bar used to be. I can’t tell you now if I will even be able to look in that direction. We will have to see.
This year we will also be honoring 3 wonderful members of our Flagler Avenue business community who left us in 2017 in memoriam. Dave Fernandez, owner of Traders and founding member of the Flagler Avenue Hospitality Group, Fran Bremer, owner of The Wicker Basket and co-founder of The Merchants of Flagler (25+ years of service) and Gregg Badders of Jewelry of Joy. I hope you all will give their families and representatives huge cheers and love as they drive by as this is still a difficult time for them and they have served our Flagler community well.
And last but not least, have a blast, revel in the joy of the little parade that could. It is the spirit of New Smyrna. With duct tape and bailing wire…tonight we put on a show!
