Churches Hope To Stop City's Mardi Gras Celebration

MUNCIE, Ind. -- A wild party in the streets of Muncie for the over-21 crowd is set to begin in two weeks, but some churches are organizing an effort to stop it.

The city's fourth annual "Muncie Gras" celebration, paying homage to the more famous Mardi Gras, is the city's largest fundraiser, RTV6's Ericka Flye reported.

Pastor John Tyner said he's disturbed by a video made at one of the previous celebrations that depicts public drunkenness and nudity.

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Muncie Gras Images
Churches Hope To Stop City's Mardi Gras Celebration

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"It's illegal activity and it should be stopped," Tyner said. "We never allow open drunkenness on the streets of Muncie, Indiana any other time, or open nudity, or lewd acts. Why would we do that just to celebrate something we call Mardi Gras?"

The annual celebration packs the downtown streets with more than 10,000 people. Tyner said he obtained the video to give citizens an inside look at what happens at the party.

Walnut Street is where most of the Mardi Gras action takes place. For some downtown merchants, the action means more business.

The manager at Kirk's Bike Shop, Jay Auxier, said he has no problem with the partiers.

"We've never had any damage or anything done. I'm all for trying to bring people's attention back downtown," Auxier said.

Mardi Gras organizers said the fundraiser brings in $35,000 for city festivals. Tyner said he's for progress, but not at this price.

"We want to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. We would like to see the downtown developed," Tyner said. "We want to see the downtown blessed, but we don't feel like this is the way that it's going to happen."

The group of pastors admitted that it might be too late to stop the event, but they hope to put an end to any future Mardi Gras celebrations in Muncie.

The Muncie mayor and police chief were not available to comment when RTV6 did this story Wednesday night.

Religious leaders said they will have a prayer walk Saturday at 10 a.m. to bring attention to their cause.

The Muncie Mardi Gras event begins Feb. 25 at 7 p.m.