The Old West Meets Mardi Gras - February 3-8, 2005 You've heard about it and seen it on TV, in the streets of New Orleans, the canals of Venice and on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro. But until you've experienced Red River's Mardi Gras In The Mountains in the spectacular snow-capped mountains of Northern New Mexico.... Hey, how often can you see a two hundred pound alligator on a snowboard or a six-foot jester with a three-foot crawfish on his head skiing down a snow-covered mountain in broad daylight? I kid you not. Really. You'll see all that and more as you experience the sights, sounds and flavors of this down-home party to honor Fat Tuesday. It's guaranteed to give you a ton of winter fun and thrills, as well as a lifetime of special memories. Mardi Gras in the Mountains is Red River's own unique winter carnivale, a six-day - and night - celebration of life. What a grand observance it is, too, complete with colorful costumed masqueraders everywhere, gaudy and highly treasured plastic beads, Grand Balls with the finest foot-tappin' Zydeco and Cajun music, fanciful parades and special events at the Red River Ski Area, spicy foods direct from the heart of Acadiana as well as the tangy delights of Northern New Mexico and the great Southwest. ("Is that a New Mexico Hatch chile in the gumbo pot?") You know the very best part of the Mountain Mardi Gras? In addition to being a family-friendly event - at least during the daylight hours - it's not meant to be a spectator sport: it's hands-on with you in the middle of the fun and frivolity. Wear a silly hat or a crazy costume with a feathered mask if you like because... you're a long way from home and the eyes of your nosy neighbors. Feel free to indulge in the manic, grail-like pursuit of the colorful plastic beads, valued far and wide as the ultimate symbol and souvenir of Mardi Gras. (Special Editor's Note to anyone who has seen Girls Gone Wild: New Orleans Mardi Gras - This is winter in Red River, so remember that the probability of frostbite discourages certain traditional methods of procuring the beads from fellow revelers.) Forgot to bring a mask or a costume or beads or a gallon of black pot roux and some fresh ground sassafras? Not to worry. Red River's wide variety of great shops and tasty restaurants will have enough goodies to accommodate everybody, including grandma and the kids. As for the nightlife... the bars and bistros will be flush with rollicking music and your favorite brews for the late-night adult revelers. High Country Mystery: How Did It Start? No one is sure how it started in Red River, but the myths of origin have become lost in the mist of time, like a white bear who disappears into the snowy forest. Some say that it was Cajun folk, the descendants of Acadians, who first brought the Fat Tuesday spirit to the mountains of New Mexico. While French fur trappers and mountain men plied their trade in the New Mexico high country as early as the late 1700s, the joyful celebration of life called Mardi Gras arrived much, much later. A popular myth of origin claims that a gold prospector "from Lafayette or Houma or Mamou maybe" was lured to the Red River Valley just before the turn of the century in search of the precious metal. Unaccustomed to the snowy cold and the effects of a long winter, the miner sought relief from cabin fever by introducing Mardi Gras to his fellow miners who were also eager for an excuse to chase away the blues. The dance halls of Red River City were soon jumping with the sounds of concertina, fiddle and the Cajun music guaranteed to make the human spirit soar! At least that's the way the story goes and Mardi Gras is still a great cure for the winter blahs. Laissez les Bons Temps Rouler!