One of Mobile’s most popular parades, Mystics of Time, unleashes fire- and smoke-breathing dragons on the streets of the city. MOT formed in 1948 over a poker game and first paraded the next year. Unless the weather is dismal, expect a huge crowd at this one, impatiently waiting for the banner that declares, “MOT is coming.”
This year’s theme is “No Time for Love.” Expect 20 floats by Richard Valadie of the Royal Artists. Costumes are by Oneta Finch at Seams to Be and Krissy Blank at Bienville Costumes.
In 2025, MOT paraded on March 1 at 5:45 p.m. with the theme Time Flies. The parade included 20 floats by The Royal Artists. Costumes were by Seams to Be and Bienville Costumes. MOT followed the newish Route H, and the first segment of that – from Dearborn and Government to Church and Claiborne – was floats and riders only. The rest of the parade joined in at the intersection of Claiborne and Church streets. This year, since the “ball” was held at the Kennedy-Cox House, riders disembarked there at the beginning of the third trip down Government, and floats proceeded from there to the former Civic Center location with no riders.
