Flagler Avenue Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras Parade
Special Honoree – Shelly Pestine, Parade Co-Founder & Imagineer
Join us in celebrating our amazing friend and Flagler Avenue Hospitality Group and Mardi Gras Parade Co-Founder as we honor his life in a manner we know he would approve of, on Fat Tuesday, March 4, 2025 at 7pm for the 19th Annual Mardi Gras Parade in a traditional New Orleans Style Second Line. We could not think of a more fitting tribute for the man who brought so much to our community than to honor him as our Grand Marshal in Memoriam with a second line procession at the front of the parade. Shelly will be represented by his loving wife Vickie and his daughters Traci and Toni, grandson Evan and son-in-law Antoine, a Brass Band and followed by a second line of his New Smyrna Beach friends. EVERYONE is welcome to join in the second line. There are no requirements other than to join us in the line with joy in your heart and a little strut in your step.
HOW TO JOIN IN:
Please RSVP to this event so we have an idea of how many will be attending. We will have some Chicago Bears (Shelly’s favorite team) colored handkerchiefs to hand out to those in the second line. Wearing Chicago Bear’s colors Navy Blue, Orange and White are encouraged but not required. Meet us at the parade line up area on Tuesday, March 4, 2025 at 6:30pm at the intersection of S. Atlantic and Columbus Avenue and get ready to strut!
WHAT IS A SECOND LINE?
There are two parts to a second line. The first line is made up of the grand marshal or parade leader, the band, and whoever is being honored. The strutting revelers who fall in behind are referred to as the second line. The leaders of the parade carry decorated umbrellas, while the other participants shake handkerchiefs while they dance. A brass band plays some beats that gets everyone dancing and moving. You can often spot the second-line by bright colored suits and banners.
MORE ABOUT SHELLY PESTINE:
In addition to being an Imagineer for the many wonderful celebrations on Flagler Avenue, including the Mardi Gras Parade, Shelly was a brother, husband, father, uncle, cousin, grandfather/papa, father-in-law, business man, teacher, friend, mentor, family advocate, volunteer, philanthropist, board member and President, travel lover, pet cuddler, #1 fan of Chicago Bears and Chicago Cubs, political activist, avid A&E watcher, dessert first and burnt cookie/ruggie monster, pizza maker and diehard Lou Malnati’s pizza fan, drag-it-through-garden-style Chicago hotdog lover, never met an ice cream he didn’t like, wonderful cook, sea glass hunter, beach clean-up do-gooder, comedian, and one of the greatest human being we have ever known.
Known as The GOAT/Greatest of all Times to all who loved him, Shelly Pestine, took his last breath on January 24, 2025 at 75 years old. He was happily married to Vickie Pestine for 53 years, had two devoted daughters (Toni Alison Pestine Chadwell and Traci Hampton, two loving grandsons (Evan and Hayden Chadwell), and a dedicated son-in-law, Antoine Hampton Sr.