Ike-Damaged Galveston Goes On With Mardi Gras Fest

GALVESTON, Texas (AP) - People are finally in the mood to celebrate again on Galveston Island, five months after Hurricane Ike.

The boulevard along the famed seawall was lined with hundreds of bead-wearing Mardi Gras revelers yesterday.

Several parades are planned for the first of 2 weekend Mardi Gras celebrations.

Five months earlier, the area was littered with lumber, rocks, sand, furniture and other debris washed ashore by Ike's powerful storm surge.

Longtime Galveston residents as well as visitors said they came as a show of support for Galveston, which was heavily damaged by Ike.

In addition to floats decorated in the festive Mardi Gras colors of yellow, green and purple, some made it a point to recall Ike and its destruction.

One float was decorated with the blue tarp material that is still covering hundreds of roofs in the area.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.