Please plan to join us as we explore the culture of Mobile, Alabama. Mobile, founded by the French in 1702, boasts influences from French, Spanish, British, Creole, and African cultures, which are evident in its downtown squares and traditions. Mobile hosted the first U.S. Mardi Gras in 1703, making it America's first and longest-running Mardi Gras, predating New Orleans.

Mobile has four different nicknames: The Port City, The Azalea City, The City of Six Flags, and The Gateway to the Gulf. In 1860, the two-masted schooner Clotilda, the last known ship to illegally smuggle African captives into the United States, sailed into Mobile. It is also home to the Battleship USS Alabama, which is the centerpiece of the 175-acre USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park located on the western shore of Mobile Bay.

Mobile offers a captivating mix of old-world charm and modern Southern vibrancy, where history isn't just confined to museums and grand antebellum homes, but also lives on its streets, in its food, and is celebrated in its unique cultural festivals.

While exploring Mobile, the Birthplace of Mardi Gras, we plan on seeing vibrant public art, naval and maritime history, and historic architecture of grand homes, including the following:

• USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park
• USS Drum
• History Museum of Mobile
• Mobile Carnival Museum
• Mobile Medical Museum
• National Maritime Museum of the Gulf
• Grand Antebellum Homes
• And much more

It is anticipated that rally details will be posted soon and that registration will start on February 1^st and end on March 7^th. Keep watching for updates.