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	Mardi Gras Committee Suzanne Beaulieu Irene Blais Sharon Charette* Paul Collette Mary Concannon Dominique Doiron Nancy Fafard  Marlene Gagnon* Bob Guernon Denise Guernon Tammy Irwin* Ann Jalette Barbara Ozanian* Wally Rathbun* Madeleine Riendeau Angela Rondeau   *Committee Co-Chairs

NRICA Members and Volunteers

2026 Donors and Sponsors

(click on logo or link to visit our sponsors' websites)

Corporate Sponsors

tourblackstone.com

490 Clinton Street | Woonsocket, RI | (401) 769-6622

801 Clinton Street | Woonsocket, RI

Judy & Roland Beauchemin

Vose True Value Hardware

849 Cumberland Hill Road | Woonsocket, RI

Donations

100 Twin River Road | Lincoln, RI 02865

Restaurant | Bar | Banquet

 1992 Victory Highway | Glendale, RI 02826 | 401-568-6996

165 East School Street | Woonsocket, RI
 

Sharon Charette
North Smithfield, RI

Paul and Jeannette Collette

Prudence Island, RI

Marlene Gagnon
North Smithfield, RI

947 Diamond Hill Road Woonsocket, RI | 401-762-9842 (Hall Rental)

Ann Jalette

2019 Mardi Gras Queen

Cumberland, RI

Manville Sportsmen's Rod and Gun Club
250 High Street | Manville, RI

Milford Federal Savings & Loan
246 Main Street | Milford, MA

Vern Rainville

Public Adjuster

240 Railroad Street | Manville, RI 02838 | 1-484-300-8495

vernrain@cox.net

Wally Rathbun

Woonsocket, RI

84 Cumberland Street | Woonsocket, RI

S&S Broad Street Garage

 74 Broad Street | Woonsocket, RI

401-766-2886

Timeless Antiques & Collectibles

Tammy Irwin, Mardi Gras Princess, 2017

91 Main Street | Woonsocket, RI | (401) 257-5796

Royal Contributors to the Coronation

Sue Beaulieu
Mardi Gras Queen, 2001

North Smithfield, RI

Irene Blais
Mardi Gras Queen, 2009

Woonsocket, RI

Sharon Charette
North Smithfield, RI

Mary Concannon

Lincoln, RI

Dominique Doiron
Woonsocket, RI

Nancy Fafard
Woonsocket, RI

Ann M. Fay

Canton, MA

Marlene Gagnon
North Smithfield, RI

Peggy Ganim

Pawtucket, RI

401-488-4182 | BluffingBoutique@gmail.com

Brenda Glode

North Smithfield, RI

Bob and Denise Guernon
North Smithfield, RI

Clara Holding
"Life's Little Extras"
Narragansett, RI

Ann Jalette

2019 Mardi Gras Queen

Cumberland, RI

Wendy Jencks
Pawtucket, RI

547 Cumberland Hill Road | Woonsocket, RI

70 Pine Swamp Road | Cumberland | 401-658-1100

 

Wally Rathbun

Woonsocket, RI

Angela Rondeau

Woonsocket, RI

Stadium Theatre
28 Monument Square, Woonsocket, RI

Timeless Antiques & Collectibles

Tammy Irwin, Mardi Gras Princess, 2017

91 Main Street | Woonsocket, RI | (401) 257-5796

42 South Main Street, Garden Level Around Back | Woonsocket, RI

200 Woonsocket Hill Road | North Smithfield, RI

Media 

Many of the traditions of Mardi Gras have their roots in a Roman festival called the Saturnalia which celebrated the end of winter and the coming of spring. Over time, and with the spread of Christianity, the festival became a final binge of feasting and self-indulgence before the sacrifice of Lent. In 17th century Paris, the celebration came to be known as Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday – a way for Christians to fatten up before the long Lenten season.
 

French settlers brought their traditions to Louisiana in 1766. By 1857, New Orleans began to develop its own traditions of masked balls, organized parades, and “throws” (favors such as beads, doubloons, and cups thrown from parade floats). In 1872, the King of Mardi Gras selected the celebration’s official colors of purple, green, and gold. The colors’ meanings were defined as justice (purple), faith (green), and power (gold) in 1892.
 

In 1954, the Mardi Gras tradition was started in Woonsocket by the Junior Chamber of Commerce. The four days of festivities earned the celebration the title of “Mardi Gras of the North.”  

Since 1995, the NRICA and the Mardi Gras Committee, with the invaluable help of our sponsors, have worked hard to bring the authentic feel and the fun of a traditional Mardi Gras celebration to Woonsocket.