GULF SHORES — After the Gulf Shores Mardi Gras parade last year with 15 entries sparked resident feedback, the city returned the parade route to Hwy. 59 and lowered entry costs this year, resulting in 40 participating groups for 2026's parade.

According to Cory Pippin, communications manager for the City of Gulf Shores, the city is currently planning to keep the Mardi Gras parade route on Hwy. 59 after a few years of holding the event on East Beach Boulevard.

"We received very positive feedback from businesses along the route and spectators," he said. "We have sent a follow-up survey to the participants for their feedback, but at least anecdotally the response has been very positive as well."

At Monday night's council meeting, a resident representing the Mystic Order of Shiners, the oldest Mardi Gras krewe in Gulf Shores, spoke on how successful the krewe thought this year's parade was and how he was proud the city took part in the "great southern tradition" to hold a Mardi Gras parade on Fat Tuesday.

"We have been involved — since 1979 — in every single Mardi Gras parade [in Gulf Shores.] We've witnessed the very best of celebrations, and we've also witnessed the most difficult of times with Mardi Gras," he said. "... This year's parade was nothing short of spectacular. We applaud the decision that was made to return this to the route down Hwy. 59. We all support that and we would certainly support maintaining that in the future."

Pippin said within this year's 40 participants were six large, traditional Mardi Gras floats. Attendance is hard to measure for the parade, he said, but the city estimates "tremendous spectator turn out in the thousands."