Last week in Kansas City, a tightly knit community of artists, musicians and slightly strange regular folk hit the streets near downtown at dawn and again at dusk to spread Mardi Gras merriment from the Westside to the Jazz District. It’s a decade-plus tradition, and judging by the folks who came out and hit it hard in 19-degree weather this year, it’s not going away anytime soon.

Part one follows the morning parade. With help from others, such as Krewe de Zoo, the Top of the Bottoms Social Aide Pleasure Society’s Dirty Force Brass Knuckle Street Band and Soul Revue led marchers from 18th & Jefferson to YJ’s in the Crossroads

Part two shows the evening revelry on West 18th Street, followed by the live getdown at the Mutual Musicians Foundation, courtesy of Hearts of Darkness and Millage Gilbert. We talk to a couple of longtime Fat Tuesday fanatics and find out what this tradition means for KC.