CowboyMardiGrasdraws
crowd despite weather
There was some apprehension about the turnout for the 2025 Cowboy Mardi Gras parade with the sudden cold front South Texas endured, but Bandera did not disappoint.
Crowds lined Main Street, bearing through the cold and misty rain for Bandera’s biggest event of the year.
One of 11th Street Cowboy Bar’s owners, Sasha Sutton, expressed her extreme gratitude for the community helping put the event together.
“We asked for volunteers to help decorate our float,” Sutton said. “We had over twenty people come out. You couldn’t ask for a more helpful community.”
11th Street Cowboy Bar plays host to the Cowboy Mardi Gras event every year, drawing crowds from all over the country.
The threeday event started last Thursday with the performance of live bands through Friday. But the main event is arguably the parade, which started on Saturday at noon. Businesses from in and around the Bandera area came together to decorate trucks, ATVs, vintage vehicles, and trailer floats in true Mardi Gras style. Al though some businesses cancelled due to the weather, 11th Street Cowboy Bar owner Richard Sutton said the late entries made up for it.
“We had around 120-130 floats,” Richard said. “Just about as many as we had last year, or maybe a little more. It’s crazy to think this all-started years ago with just three floats.”
Glimmering shades of purple, gold, and green dominated most of the floats, but the cowboy capital paid homage to their roots with additions of cowboy boots, country music, and of course, horseback riders.
Most float riders tossed the traditional Mardi Gras beads to the crowd, but others tossed candies and rubber ducks.
The family-friendly event went off without a hitch, continuing onto 11th street where booths offering festival-style foods, drinks, and games welcomed the crowds.
The main after-party was held at 11th Street Cowboy Bar, where live music continued periodically throughout the night, along with a costume contest and the announcement of the best gumbo cookoff winner.
Couples took over the dance floor under the purple and green lights strung across the hall.
Richard expressed his deepest gratitude to the community and his staff for the event being a major success for another year.
“I’m so thankful for all the volunteers that helped us decorate,” Richard said. “I don’t know what we would do without them. I’m also so thankful to our staff – from the bartenders to the barbacks to the roamers – who worked really long hours to get this event together. I have an amazing group of dedicated employees.”
Wayne Toupes and George Dearborne and Branded closed the night out, sealing the third and final night of the Cowboy Mardi Gras event.
Richard and Sasha Sutton look forward to next year’s event.
“Hopefully with better weather!” Richard said. “But we still had a great turnout.”
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