Priscus royalty in Pensacola

DOWNTOWN PENSACOLA, Fla. (WALA) - The Mardi Gras festivities wrapped up in Pensacola with the Priscus Procession and Ball.

Before sundown, all seemed quiet outside Seville Quarter in downtown Pensacola. But once the night fell, the inside held a different story.

"It's fun," said Pensacola resident Charles Fairchild. "It's fellowship. Absolutely a great time. People need to come out and experience it."

Dave Moon and Susie Bruno were crowned the King and Queen of Priscus this Fat Tuesday.

"It's been a really good season," said King Moon, who was also the King of Seville this year. "It's been cold, but good. We've had a lot of fun. There's been a lot of people downtown, and on Saturday, on the beach, was a large parade."

"It's been the best. We've had such a great time. The community really came out and supported us. The weather was perfect Saturday and Sunday, so it made up for the lousy weather Friday night," Queen Bruno added.

Holding the Priscus coronation at Seville Quarter was a fitting place for royalty. The bar was just named one of the top 100 bars in the country by Nightclub and Bar Magazine.

"We're very proud," said Buck Mitchell, the bar's marketing director. "For little Pensacola to be competing with other bars in Vegas, Los Angeles, and Miami. We're very proud."

The director of Pensacola Mardi Gras Inc. says compared to its western neighbors, Mobile and New Orleans, the city is no slouch when it comes to celebrating.

"It's been going on since before 1900," explained Danny Zimmern. "We've had a lot of long time krewes. We may not be the biggest, but we're close to the best."

"The last week has been off the hook. Pensacola is full of different krewes and they've been out all week long and I'm sure a lot of them are excited today is the last day," Mitchell added.

Starting Ash Wednesday, let the recovery times roll.

The first Mardi Gras celebration in Pensacola was in 1874.