Laissez les bons temps rouler!

ROCKINGHAM — VFW Post 4203 painted the town purple, green and gold with its first Mardi Gras celebrations for children and adults on Saturday.

“I’m from the South, so we’ve always done Mardi Gras, and I thought it would be something different for the kids to enjoy as a community event. Everything’s free for them. We have beads, candy, MoonPies, oatmeal pies and plush toys to give out,” said Brenda Dwiggins, chaplain at the VFW.

The original plan was to have a parade where volunteers would ride through town in decorated golf carts, Gators or four-wheelers and hand out Mardi Gras throws to the children. However, the kids preferred to ride along the train to receive their goodies, leading organizers to make an on-the-spot decision to prioritize their fun.

Children also had the chance to create masks at the Mardi Gras mask-making station and enjoy a bouncy house. Hot dogs were offered free of charge, though donations were welcome. Sparky the Fire Dog and the Rockingham Fire Department also paid a visit to the children.

“It’s our very first event to see how it goes, and we have lots of community and volunteers here,” Dwiggins said.

She hopes the event becomes an annual tradition and grows over time so Mardi Gras can be celebrated on a larger scale in Richmond County.

A card-making station was also available for attendees to create messages for the National Guard in Sanford, which was recently deployed to Kuwait.

“The 101st National Guard out of Sanford has been deployed to Kuwait, and every year we send care packages. For the next four to six weeks, we’ll be sending care packages to them. We also have a station here where everyone can write their thank-you cards,” said VFW Auxiliary President Robin Roberts.

Adults also had the chance to celebrate Mardi Gras with a dance at 7 p.m. Rockingham VFW will host an Easter party on April 12.