Mardi Gras 2026
Saturday, February 14, 2026
5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Saturday, February 14, 2026
5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
(Doors open at 5 pm, Dinner served from 6-8 pm, Cash Bar)
St. Ann Arts & Cultural Center
84 Cumberland Street, Woonsocket, RI
Menu | Sponsors | Queen Contestants | Previous Queens & Kings | Mardi Gras Committee | Short History of Mardi Gras
30 years of Mardi Gras Memories -- click to see video!
Live music by
The Squeezebox Stompers
(Zydeco, Blues & Soul, Cajun Waltzes)
FULL BUFFET
with Cajun, Creole, and French Canadian food
The Hall ... awaiting Mardi Gras revelers
St. Ann Arts and Cultural Center (available for rentals)
MARDI GRAS QUEEN'S CORONATION
Sunday, February 8, 2026, 5 pm
at the Italian Workingmen's Club
947 Diamond Hill Road, Woonsocket, RI
Full Italian Buffet
$25 in advance only
Tickets available from any of our Queen Contestants.
To Buy Directly: raffle tickets, tickets to the coronation or tickets to the ball,
or if you need information on contestants call (401) 257-5797 or (401) 486-9380.
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Renee Ciambrone is retired from working for 27 years in the Woonsocket Education Department. She is a Woonsocket resident. Renee is a volunteer for Eight Days of Hope, a national organization that responds to disasters across the country, helping to rebuild homes, communities, and lives. Always community minded, Renee even picks trash up off the streets! A fun-loving person, besides volunteering, Renee enjoys painting and baking. Her love of art has led her to enter the Mardi Gras Queen's Contest so that she can help raise money for the NRICA's arts scholarships and art contest prizes. Having worked in an educational capacity throughout her career, she truly appreciates the difference that scholarships can make in attaining the goals of young college students. She thanks her husband Carl, her daughters Dara, Gina and Carla, and her granddaughters Gianna and Ahianna for making life meaningful and fun. |
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Tatiana Rawlinson grew up Woonsocket, attended High Roads School of Providence and is a resident of Woonsocket. Tatiana is a waitress and bartender of 4 years at Woonsocket Chelo’s Bar and Grill. Tatiana loves her job and the friendly atmosphere that Chelo's offers their patrons. She loves being part of a team of a business so committed to supporting the community. Tatiana enjoys people, great conversation and making people happy. In her spare time she likes helping friends in the community, baking, movies, music and arts and crafts. Tatiana believes in community support, creating opportunities for the next generation of young artists. She believe in our youth and their abilities to make change. Running for Mardi Gras Queen and raising money for scholarships for the arts will help achieve that dream. She has seen and heard the many contestants that have run and raised funds for scholarships and applauds them with adoration and respect. Tatiana knows the work to become Queen and is prepared to accomplish her dream and fulfill the dreams of the many students attending arts programs in college upon their graduation. Tatiana would like to dedicate this endeavor to her Grand Mother and mentor Georgette Rawlinson. Tatiana encourages you to visit Chelo's Bar and Grill to purchase tickets from her. |
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Mardi Gras Queen Contestants 
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QUEEN CONTEST RAFFLE PRIZES
1st prize $1000 cash
2nd prize $500 cash
Previous Kings & Queens
(click on links to see Mardi Gras page from that year)
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1954 • |
Pauline (Nadeau) Miller |
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1955 • |
Maureen (Mazzarella) Kennedy |
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1956 • |
Beverly (DiCesare) Russell* |
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1957 • |
Pauline (Gagnon) Riendeau |
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1958 • |
Rita (Laliberte) Nadeau |
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1959 • |
Claire (Paul) Lafrance |
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1988 • |
Michelle (Lefort) Wheeler |
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Owen Bebeau |
•1995 • |
Gloria Jean Roy |
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Roger Nault |
• 1996 • |
Paula Rezendes |
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Al Auclair |
• 1997 • |
Roxanne Menard |
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Leo Fontaine |
• 1998 • |
Dianna Glassey |
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Roger Jalette |
• 1999 • |
Donna Gallant |
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Ken Bianchi |
• 2000 • |
Nancy (Melvin) Beauregard |
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Noel Pincince |
• 2001 • |
Suzanne Beaulieu |
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Dave Richards |
• 2002 • |
Lorraine Jacob |
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Roger Petit |
• 2003 • |
Stacey (McCutcheon) Fitzsimmons |
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Roger Bouchard |
• 2004 • |
Roberta Baillargeon |
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Tom Ward |
• 2005 • |
Joyce LaPerle |
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Brian Blais |
• 2006 • |
Lorraine Guilbault |
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Marcel Desroches |
• 2007 • |
Nancy Phillips |
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• 2008 • |
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• 2009 • |
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• 2010 • |
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• 2011 • |
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• 2012 • |
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• 2013 • |
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| Bob Phillips | • 2014 • | Sheylon Lawson | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Paul Shatraw | • 2015 • | Tracey Parenteau | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Edward Hunt | • 2016 • | Tammy Lamberto Roy | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Joe Nadeau | • 2017 • | Nicole Riendeau | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Bob Billington | • 2018 • | Joyce LaPerle | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Garrett Mancieri | • 2019 • | Ann Jalette | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Dominique Doiron | • 2020 • | Lori Paul Thuot | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Dan Gendron | • 2022 • | Desiree Archambault | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Adam Brunetti | • 2023 • | Tabitha Westerhuis | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Leon Fagnant | • 2024 • | Lauren Fagnant | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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.