The best Mardi Gras parties in Sonoma County

Rhythmtown-Jive leaves a past Mardi Gras parade in a cloud of bubbles. (photo Jeff Kan Lee)

Take a handful of West Coast musical refugees from various bands, throw in a horn player named “Snakebite” and put them on stage every Fat Tuesday for 20 years and you’ve got one of the longest running Mardi Gras traditions in the North Bay.

“It’s always been — if you can’t make it down to New Orleans, come party with us. It’s the next best thing,” says Rhythmtown-Jive ringleader Tim Eschliman who gathers all the beads and musical threads for the Mardi Gras Mambofest every year.

Back in 1991, he was approached by a friend who bar-tended at the Buchanan Grill in San Francisco to throw together a quick Mardi Gras party in the Marina district. From there it migrated up to The Sweetwater Saloon in Mill Valley and took on the name Mardi Gras Mambofest before moving to the Last Day Saloon in Santa Rosa and now the Mystic Theatre in Petaluma.

“Over the years it’s become my version of the company picnic,” says Eschliman. “I always seem to lose money because I’m always buying more beads and adding more musicians and making new posters, but it’s always worth it.”

In New Orleans, the Mardi Gras season or Carnival season culminates with massive Fat Tuesday celebrations in the French Quarter, marking the end of over-indulgence in anticipation of the arrival of the Christian traditions of Ash Wednesday and pre-Easter fasting for Lent.

Rhythmtown-Jive baritone sax player Ken “Snakebite” Jacobs boasts the most Big Easy street cred, living in New Orleans for two decades and playing in the band New Orleans Nightcrawlers and with Clarence Gatemouth Brown and Kinky Friedman. Other Rhythmtown-Jive past collaborations fall all over the musical map: Eschliman played bass with singers Etta James and Commander Cody. Piano player Kevin Zuffi played with Joe Louis Walker and Earl King. Trombonist Mike Rinta shared stages with Sly Stone and Herbie Hancock. And Michael Peloquin played sax with Albert King.

Together as Rhythmtown-Jive, they’ve played gigs with Meters drummer Zigaboo Modeliste and Lee Allen, renowned sax man for Fats Domino and Little Richard.

This year, special guests Maria Muldaur and John Allair, best known as the piano player for Van Morrison, will hop onstage at the Mystic. The one thing that’s always held true from the beginning is that Mardi Gras Mambofest is not a show you watch, it’s a show you join. This year, the party starts around 5:45 p.m. Tuesday outside the Mystic Theater as Rhythmtown-Jive mounts a second-line march through downtown Petaluma, like the original New Orleans-style brass-band parades that originated from funeral processions.

“Anyone and everyone can join in,” Eschliman says.

Fans are encouraged to bring beads or musical instruments and join the parade. Before Fat Tuesday arrives at the Mystic Theater, here’s a look at a few other Mardi Gras celebrations this weekend:

Mardi Gras Casino Night: Leave it to the Russian River Chapter of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to bust out the poker, roulette, blackjack and craps for Mardi Gras. The Rotary Club of Sebastopol Sunrise also gets in on the action and proceeds go to Food For Thought and the Interchurch Food Pantry. Sebastopol Veteran’s Memorial Building, 282 High Street, Sebastopol. 7 p.m. Saturday 2/18. Tickets: $50. 887-1647. mardigrascasinonight.com

Mardi Gras at Meadowcroft Wines: St. Gabriel’s Celestial Brass Band paces the second-line parade. Real-life Cajuns are guaranteed to be in attendance, along with Cajun food and a dance floor where you can work for your beads. 23574 Arnold Drive, Sonoma. Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday 2/18. Tickets: $55. 934-4090. meadowcroftfamilyofwines.com

Mardi Gras Ball: Dancing is king at this annual Carnival party, spiced up with DJs, jumbalaya, corn pone and watermelon punch. 7 p.m. Saturday 2/18. Monroe Hall, 1400 West College Ave., Santa Rosa. Tickets: $35. 331-4162. monroe-hall.com

21st annual Mardi Gras Mambofest with Rhythmtown-Jive. 5:45 p.m. Tuesday 2/21. Meet in front of the Mystic Theater for the parade. Concert follows with special guests Maria Muldaur and John Allair. $11. 21 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma. 765-2121. mystictheatre.com

Bay Area freelancer John Beck writes about entertainment for The Press Democrat. You can reach him at 280-8014, john@sideshowvideo.com and follow on Twitter @becksay.