PORTLAND, Maine – It seems more people are finally realizing what most of us know: Louisiana knows how to throw a good party.

Hundreds of years after we started, Portland, Maine, announced this week it's going to celebrate Mardi Gras in 2018. Portland, a southern shore city of about 66,000, has proclaimed it an official holiday.

As MardiGras.com pointed out, Portland lies in a region known as “Acadia,” similar to Louisiana's Cajun country known as “Acadiana” settled by people from  Nova Scotia in Canada.

While it's likely the idea of parades, revelry and good food ahead of Lent finally sounded like a good idea to the people of Maine, we can't help but to hope a former WBRZ employee had some influence.

Jaci Tull, a former newscast production director at channel 2, recently moved to Portland for similar work. On Fat Tuesday, she encouraged her TV crew to dress in purple, green and gold; wear masks and eat King Cake. Hours later, the mayor of Portland announced the exciting news.

In an email exchange with the mayor about Mardi Gras, Tull was welcomed to Portland, and was promised a spot on the planning team for next year's Carnival celebrations.

“I'm very Cajun… And Mardi Gras is such a big part of my life,” Tull said.  Tull left WBRZ in August. 

Ironically, Tull works at WMTW, a TV station owned by a company that also owns a TV station in New Orleans. WMTW shared pictures with its website users from New Orleans.

From Louisiana to Maine: Laissez les bons temps rouler!

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