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If you're in a krewe, here's my challenge to you

9:41 AM, Jan. 24, 2013

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Members of Krewe du Go kick off their Mardi Gras Food Drive for Manna Food Pantries at the Jubilee by the Bay Run Walk or Drag with Color. The drive will continue though the Mardi Gras season, culminating with Mardi Gras Mayhem, a pre-party for the Pensacola Beach parade at the Hilton Pensacola Beach Gulf Front on Feb. 10. / Phil Bailey/GoPensacola.com

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Julio Diaz

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KREWE DU GO FOOD DRIVE LOCATIONS

• 5 p.m. to midnight Friday: Gallery Night. The GoPensacola.com truck will take donations and give goodies in front of the downtown post office, across from the Tin Cow.
• 6 to 8 p.m. Monday: Krewe du Go is having a bead buying party at Pensacola Parade People, 3359 Copter Road, Unit 3. We’ll have our truck there to load up with beads and your donations. Shop for throws while you support the cause.
• 6 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 8: Look for the GoPensacola.com truck on Spring Street at line-up for the Krewe of Lafitte Illuminated Mardi Gras Parade.
• 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Feb. 9: The GoPensacola.com truck will be back on Spring Street for line-up for the Pensacola Grand Mardi Gras Parade.
• 9 a.m. Feb. 10: It’s Mardi Gras Mayhem at the Hilton Pensacola Beach Gulf Front, 12 Via de Luna, Pensacola Beach! Party with Krewe du Go and the Hilton with music, food, drinks and fun. Each krewe is challenged to fill a parking spot in the Hilton lot with food. Each attendee gets a free drink with three donated items (limit one free drink). After the Krewe of Wrecks parade, come back to the Hilton for a great after-party where we’ll announce the winners of our Krewe Challenge!

Think your krewe is the best in Pensacola? I dare you to prove it.

As the president of Krewe du Go, GoPensacola.com’s affiliated Mardi Gras krewe, I’m using my space today to call out every member of every Mardi Gras krewe in Pensacola.

Yup, that means you. Yes, you, the lovely ladies of the Krewe of Hip Huggers, Krewe du YaYas, Krewe of Daisy Dukes and Krewe of Mystic Mafia. And you too, stalwart gentlemen of the Krewe of Lafitte and Krewe of Andres de Pez. And all the rest of you, whether your allegiance be Krewe of Blues, Order of Zeus, Mayoki Indians, Carpe Diem, Seville, Parrotheads, St. Patrick or what have you. It’s time for you ALL to step up.

I’m issuing a krewe challenge to every krewe in Pensacola to see who can donate the most food to Manna Food Pantries via our Mardi Gras Food Drive.

We kicked off our drive at last week’s Jubilee By the Bay Run, Walk or Drag with Color, and got off to a great start. We’re continuing Friday at Gallery Night and throughout the Mardi Gras season. And we’re counting every can and dollar to see which krewe can win bragging rights.

Moreover, with the help of Pensacola Mardi Gras Inc., we’re making it worth your while: Every nonperishable food item or dollar donated in the name of your krewe counts as a “bean,” or vote, in your krewe’s Priscus campaign for the King and Queen of Mardi Gras 2013.

And those donations don’t have to be from members of your krewe. If you can talk friends, family or passing strangers into donating in your name, we’ll take it. We aren’t picky.

Our drive is going to culminate in a huge preparty we’re throwing at the Hilton Pensacola Beach Gulf Front on the morning of the Krewe of Wrecks Parade on Pensacola Beach. Mardi Gras Mayhem will feature music, food, drinks and good times with Krewe du Go, the Hilton and DJ Ramsey Coates of AnyDayDJ.com, starting at 9 a.m. And it has one more BIG challege for the krewes: We dare you to fill an entire parking spot in the Hilton’s garage with food for Manna.

We’ll announce who has won the bragging rights after the parade back at the Hilton. Right now, Le Krewe du Brew is way ahead, with 76 items already donated. Let’s see how long their lead lasts when the competitive spirits of Pensacola’s cheery krewes kick in.

And please don’t feel left out if you have no krewe affiliation! Everyone who donates will get special beads and/or GoPensacola.com goodies, including stickers, koozies, T-shirts and other fun stuff. The more you give, the more you get. And at Mardi Gras Mayhem, bring three items and get a free drink (limit one free drink per person).

Check the info box for when and where we’ll be accepting donations. And thanks for your support as we let the good times roll!