Clara L’Heurex, left, watches Marlene Gagnon, owner of Harlequin Costume in Woonsocket, model a popular Mardis Gras boa.

The Providence Journal / Steve Szydlowski

WOONSOCKET — The city’s traditional Franco-American flavor gets a dash of Creole spice this weekend, with the Northern Rhode Island Council on the Arts’ Mardi Gras celebration Saturday.

Mardi Gras — in English, “Fat Tuesday,” the day before Ash Wednesday and the sacrificing season of Lent — technically should be celebrated on Tuesday, but the festival organizers like to get a jump on things.

This year’s celebration will include a children’s Mardi Gras at the Museum of Work and Culture in the afternoon and then moves to the Father Marot CYO Center at 53 Federal St. for the Mardi Gras Ball, from 6 p.m. to midnight, featuring Creole cooking and the music of internationally known zydeco performers Jeffery Broussard and the Creole Cowboys.

Romeo Berthiaume, this year’s Mardi Gras chairman, said organizers of the Mardi Gras Ball look for an area band — this year, Slippery Sneakers — to start things off and then find a nationally known group as the headliner. Tickets are $25 before the show (by calling 762-9072) and, if available, $30 at the door.

The ball is expected to attract about 240 people, Berthiaume said. About half will be in-costume locals and the rest will be fans of Broussard’s group.

“A lot of people follow this type of music, zydeco music,” Berthiaume said. “He has a lot of groupies.”

Creole music was the soundtrack of Broussard’s Louisiana childhood. His father was Delton Broussard of the Lawtell Playboys and Jeffery began his career playing with them. He later went on to play lead accordion with Zydeco Force, and in 2004 formed the group he tours internationally with today.

For the Mardi Gras Ball, the audience is part of the show. Dozens show up in costume. Marlene Gagnon, owner of Harlequin Costumes on Main Street and a member of the Mardi Gras Committee, said participants’ tastes tend toward beaded and sequined flappers and courtly Renaissance outfits.

“People won’t rent superheroes,” she said. “They don’t care for Darth Vader. They want to be more colorful.”

The festivities kick off Saturday at 2 p.m. with the children’s Mardi Gras at the Museum of Work and Culture. Admission is free to the first 60 children ages 4 to 9 and their parents. The two-hour event will include a movie, food and a costume parade, with a prize for best costume.

The grownups get their turn at 6 p.m. when the doors will open at the CYO Center for the Mardi Gras Ball. Serving will start at 6:30 of a Cajun-style buffet of French onion soup, hot red bliss potato salad, red beans and rice with spicy sausage. Entrées will feature Creole pork, Cajun meatloaf, shrimp etouffée and chicken gumbo, with hot bourbon pudding for dessert.

King Jace XVI will be unmasked by the Mardi Gras Queen and dancing will follow until midnight.

jhill@projo.com