Celebrating Mardi Gras in Rubonia

Young woman draws a beer from the tap on the rear of a Volkswagen.

It wasn't exactly Mardi Gras in the New Orleans style. But it was a wondrous affair that crossed all kinds of cultural boundaries.
Rubonia is not really a town so much as it is a way of life. It is just down the road from where we park our RV motor home for the winter. Every time I drive through Rubonia, I liken it to driving through the north of Namibia. First, it is totally black. There are chickens that strut in the road and there invariably is an old oil drum off to the side of the road with three or four black guys crouched around the fire that is inside the drum. There's something pleasant and quaint about Rubonia. It is quite reminiscent of the early years of Florida's development. It's just a crossroads on the old Route 41.
The official "Terra Ceia-Rubonia Mardi Gras Parade" began in 1980, when a small band of friends, the "Crewe of the Mystic Rainbow," assembled a few makeshift floats and marched their parade through the sleepy little town of Rubonia in honor of Luann Topp's birthday. In 1995, after 16 years of ever-larger crowds, loads of mirth, and no major problems, Luann was confronted by County officials demanding permits, liability insurance, security, etc., etc., etc. Because neither she nor any of the "disorganizers" of the parade were wealthy, Luann decided she had to bow aside.
In 1996, urged by the residents, the Rubonia Community Center agreed to host the event, and the tradition then continued under the sponsorship of the United Community Centers organization. But the event grew larger and became more costly, and after the 2006 event, the UCC decided to pull out. Luann Topp ("Ruby Begonia"), Bill Burger of the "Crewe of the Awed Fellows," and Mr. James Gordon, "mayor" of Rubonia, stepped
forward to create the "Rubonia Mardi Gras Trust" to raise the money needed for the festivities. And that brings us to today.
We carried our chairs down the road to the sound of raucous music and sirens. Police cars moved back and forth along the highway and there were sheriff's deputies riding along on their horses.
At 2 p.m., the parade started. It was an eclectic collection of home-made and commercial floats. Mostly we were surprised as the cultural diversity of the participants. There were black bikers, driving by on their tricked out Harley Davidsons. Then there would be a float with folks aboard throwing Mardi Gras beads to the cheering crowds at the side of the road.
The pictures in the photo album tell the story better than most words could.
You'll probably chuckle at the cars that are designed to rise at the front, lifting wheels off the ground. Those were driven by Hispanic folks. The white folks were aboard the floats, tossing the countless bead necklaces and baubles to the crowd.