Community Rubonia Mardi Gras Turns 36 with Bare Bones Celebration

RUBONIA — For 35 years without fail, the town of Rubonia has entertained an annual street parade unlike any in Manatee County. This year, it was cancelled; but that didn't stop those who first cruised through the small town north of Palmetto in celebration of Mardi Gras back then from flying the flag on Sunday.

In 1980, a little more than a dozen locals were celebrating the birthday of LouAnn Topp, now known as, "Ruby Begonia," when they decided to parade the party through town.

The parade was soon adopted by local folks, and the number of participants grew annually amounting to as many as 20,000 in recent years.

Local vendors selling barbecue, pizza and beer would cater to the bead-catching crowd as they rocked to music from as many as 50 floats.

But many say the parade grew into a complicated and arduous celebration, in need of supervision. Others felt the amount of trouble that sprung from that large of crowd was minor and manageable.

Before the full blown event returns, much has to be sorted out: cost of security, parking areas and permitting, but Ruby and crew weren't about to sit out this year's event. 

Sunday, 50 or more showed up to announce that they were going to celebrate, and hung out in Rubonia, next to Ruby's Submarine.

A band called "Under Construction" played music, while a barbecue vendor and a group from Idell's Island Seafood sold grub across the street in a vacant lot used to accommodate many vendors in years past.

The 36th Rubonia Mardi Gras might have been bare bones, but just like the tiny, scrappy town it calls home, it didn't give up in the face of a little adversity.