Historical Nevada City

The homes of Nevada City sit high a top emerald green hills, surrounded by tall plush pine trees. The snow capped Sierra’s make a beautiful backdrop to this almost mystical, city. The narrow roads are paved with history and interesting stories to be told. Little pastel painted victorians, not far from the three story mansions, line the steep hilly streets, all of which, look down onto Broad Street, the main street of this beautiful city. And you always know when you are getting close to Nevada City by it’s picture perfect restored little church with its tall white steeple piercing the clouds above, letting you know the city is hidden away in this lush forest. I imagined waking to the morning sun shining through the quaint tied back, lace curtains framing the narrow windowpanes of my little dream house.

The old brick and wood buildings that line the small town’s main streets, are of original construction and I could imagine women dressed in long frilly dresses and large brimmed, feathery hats walking gracefully, stopping to chat with the storekeepers, as they shopped for the perfect linens for an upcoming dinner party or afternoon tea.

I was basking in the crisp cool morning’s sun, sitting on the curb of Broad Street daydreaming about my quaint surroundings, when my imagination was jolted by the roaring sounds of motorcycle engines rounding the corner of this old mining town, called Nevada City. Coming back to reality, I realized, visits to beautiful and unique surroundings…like these, has always allowed me these moments of meditative creativity. These small towns and villages…would enlighten and inspire anyone to write, so here I am. I guess that is why Nevada City is one of the Gold Country’s favorite biker stops on a Sunday afternoon. And this Sunday Afternoon was a special reason to make a day of it.

Superbowl Sunday in Nevada City, celebrating….Mardi Gras

Being Super Bowl Sunday, I expected Nevada City to look like the streets of a ghost town. Today however, this beautiful little town filled with its town’s people will celebrate Mardi Gras in Nevada City Style. And like every other year, loyal town’s folk show up in support of a tradition that proves to be a fun-filled day for the whole family.

You may wonder, how a perfectly preserved town like Nevada City, made up of many reserved folks who have lived here for 100 years, celebrates Mardi Gras? Well the answer is….they do it, and they do it with class.

The people of Nevada City come out of their cozy homes and crackling fireplaces and line the streets with entire families….kids…mom and dad…and grandparents. The theme of today’s celebration is from the musical Moulin Rouge. Many of the towns people came dressed in costume, looking like actors going to dress rehearsal. Brightly painted faces with pink cheeks, red lips, false eyelashes, colorful dresses and furry boa’s covering exposed cleavage, walked the streets, gaining the attention of the looky-lou’s who patiently await the start of this old fashioned parade. Little girls in little pink boa’s participated, too!

The floats are all hand made by those who live in the surrounding areas, nothing like the famous Rose Parade, but their entries draw the, “Oooohs and Aaaahs” just as much! Other entries included antique cars, an old restored fire engine, a dragon float hand made from an artist’s hands of metal scraps, (anything you might find laying around your garage or yard).

And the Band Played on.

Music filled the air, as a float with a band perched atop, played tunes for the dancers who followed while their pink tulle, and chiffon skirts swirled through the crowds. Screeching began as the Boozefighter’s float, carrying the Boozettes and their children, began throwing beads of different shapes and colors into the crowd. You could see small children in front of the crowds, with their parents behind them, hands in the air waving at the riders, politely asking for their special beads.

The Boozefighter’s road behind the float with their bikes lined up, two by two, as far as I could see. “Over here!” “Over here!” could be heard, as many folks in the crowd begged for the sparkling beads. All of sudden one or two of the guys would start revving their engines, and the rest would follow suit. Soon there was a rumble so loud, that the crowd began yelling and clapping, showing their appreciation for the biker’s proud demonstration of their powerful engines. Each Boozefighter, Boozette, and each child on the float, had beads hanging from their arms, their necks and their bikes, to throw out into the frenzied crowd. Between the colorful sparkling beads in the crowd, the colorful costumes, and the shiny polished chrome on the motorcycles, the streets of Nevada City turned into a “City of Sparkling Gems”.

When the parade came to a halt, you could hear voices calling your name as you rode on the float and if you focused hard, looking through the deep rows of people, you could find a friend or two, leaning on an antique lamppost (still used to light the streets), waving to you in recognition. Some of the bikers, would get off their bikes when the parade would come to a halt and personally hand beads to the small children who were too afraid to reach out to these gruff looking leathered men. The children’s eyes opened wider, as they looked up to what must have seemed like a giant sized wizard, with bearded face, decorated vests and long white hair. Yet this wizard was smiling down at the little child with soft twinkling eyes, handing him his very own, sparkling moon and star shaped beads…making sure the little ones got their share. One set of parents stood holding onto their little boy giving him a slight push forward to collect the Wizard’s gift, as it was being handed to him. Watching their expression, I could see their gratitude and a somewhat bewildered face as they realized that they too, saw a different biker standing in front of them than what they had previously imagined.

Mardi Gras, Nevada City Style

On this Madi Gras Day, biker’s traveled from all over our Gold Country, not to make women earn their beads, by bearing their breasts, as they are given away freely, but because they love riding the most scenic back roads, and historical mining towns in Northern California. And maybe they knew that at the end of their rainbow, there would be time to have sip or two of brew, with their traveling buddies in some of Nevada City’s saloons and pubs. Beautiful women, children, and merry widows were given beads, just for a smile or a twinkle in their eye. Unlike most Mardi Gras celebrations, there is no nudity or what Nevada City folk might consider, vulgar behavior allowed, as this is a day for the family….. Yet the neighboring biker can ride on into town, and have a great time partying with or without his better half and have a good time as well. This Mardi Gras Celebration catered to all equally.

Visitors browsed the booths, filled with jewelry, trinkets and a variety of vendors selling their wares. You could stop and grab a bite to eat while walking the streets filled with characters abound. Some visitors took in the sights of bookstores, interesting shops, artsy stores and my absolute favorite, The Fur Trader, where a biker can find treasures of furs and leathers to keep their bodies warm. They might also stop at the local gourmet wine store, while the storeowner enjoys pouring a liquid bouquet, while he stands behind a classy bar teaching the proper etiquette of sipping and savoring a fine wine. Other locals follow the sweet smells of the little candy stores and the local ice cream shops to tickle their fancy and satisfy a sweet tooth.

Even the family dog tagged along for a good time, who got petted poked and prodded, to have their pictures taken, while little kids pulled their tails and squeezed them till they popped (it’s good to have that plastic bag ready). And if your dog is really lucky…like Babydoll’s three Yorkies, they’ll get to ride along in the parade.

It was a good day for a parade in Nevada City. We all had a great time, and the Parade ended in plenty of time, to make a quick trip home, or to the neighborhood bar to watch the Super bowl game. An end to a really great day.

Well, I guess that would depend on which team you wanted to see win!

~Written and Photographed by Annie Taranto-LaPlante