Now that Mardi Gras has come and gone, it’s time to get the noisemakers and costumes out for Purim. Here’s a selection of Purim events in the region.

Alabama

Auburn’s Beth Shalom will have a Hogwarts Purim celebration on Feb. 28 with ISJL Education Fellow Lex Rofes, featuring a megillah reading and carnival. The 7 p.m. event will include a dessert feast, and wizard-style costumes are encouraged.

Knesseth Israel in Birmingham will have its Blacklight Purim carnival on March 4 at 5:45 p.m. There will be glow-in-the-dark bubbles, blacklight basketball and neon stomp rockets. The megillah reading will be followed by a dinner prepared by Eli from Eli’s Jerusalem Grill.

In Birmingham, Temple Beth-El will visit Temple Emanu-El for a Peter Pan Purim Spiel and carnival, on March 1 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Beth-El will have its megillah reading on March 4 at 6 p.m.

Chabad of Alabama will have Purim in Hollywood on March 5, with a 5 p.m. megillah reading and 5:30 p.m. party. For the red carpet, guests are encouraged to dress as their favorite Hollywood star — with a caveat that the wardrobe be “appropriate.”

Chabad is welcoming “funniest home videos” to be sent in advance of the event. Admission is $18 for adults, $10 for children, with a family maximum of $60.

Hillel at the University of Alabama at Birmingham will have its first masquerade party on March 3 at 6:30 p.m., at Blazer RLC. Admission is one non-perishable food item for the UAB food closet.

You Belong in Birmingham will have a Pour ‘Em for Purim party at the Abroms/Engel Institute for Visual Arts at the University of Alabama at Birmingham on March 7, starting at 7:30 p.m. There will be music, a cash bar, food and desserts, and “party-goers are encouraged to dress up in the spirit of Purim.” Tickets are $10.

There will be a Birmingham community-wide Purim carnival at the Levite Jewish Community Center on March 8, starting at 12:30 p.m. Co-sponsored by the three congregations and Chabad, the event is being planned by Community Youth Group. There will be inflatables and interactive booths and games. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children.

Temple Emanu-El, Dothan, will have a Purim potluck dinner and service on March 6 at 6 p.m. Bring a main dish, salad or vegetable for 8 to 10 people. The service will start at 7 p.m., and costumes are encouraged. The Purim carnival will be on March 8 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Etz Chayim in Huntsville will have a hot dog dinner on March 4 at 6 p.m., followed by a BBYO presentation of the rhymed megillah.

Huntsville’s Temple B’nai Sholom will have its Purim party on March 7 at 7 p.m.

Chabad of Mobile will have Purim in the Shtetl on March 5 at 5:15 p.m., at the historic Blacksher Hall. There will be a Tevye show with Broadway actor Walter Hook, a feast of “old world favorites,” a multimedia Megillah reading and slideshow, Purim crafts, “tie-dye hamentaschen” and costumes are encouraged. There is no charge but donations are welcome.

Rabbi Yosef Goldwasser of Chabad of Mobile said they would be happy to read the megillah at homes, nursing homes and offices, for those who can not make it to the event.

Ahavas Chesed in Mobile is having a free pizza dinner on March 4 at 6 p.m., followed by megillah reading and making shalach manot at 6:30 p.m.

Springhill Avenue Temple in Mobile will have its Purim celebration on March 6 at 6 p.m. with a musical Purim play, followed by dinner hosted by the Sisterhood and religious school, catered by Tyner’s. There is no charge for dinner but reservations are requested by Feb. 24.

In Montgomery, Temple Beth Or will have its Purim service on March 4 at 6 p.m. Agudath Israel-Etz Ahayem will have its Purim service and dinner with the Not Ready for Prime Time Megillah Readers on March 4 at 6 p.m.

Tuscaloosa’s Temple Emanu-El will have its Purim party at 10 a.m. on March 8.

Florida Panhandle

Chabad Emerald Coast in Destin will have Purim in the Lower East Side, March 5 at 4:30 p.m.

B’nai Israel in Panama City will have a Purim celebration during religious school on March 8 at 10 a.m. The students will present a play and have a megillah reading.

There will be a Purim service and celebration at Temple Beth-El in Pensacola on March 8 at 11 a.m., followed by the community-wide Purim festival at Creative Learning Academy from noon to 2 p.m.

Louisiana

There will be a Purim carnival at Gemiluth Chassodim in Alexandria, joined by the Lake Charles and Lafayette communities, on March 8 at 9:30 a.m.

B’nai Israel in Baton Rouge will have a Purim Movie and Munchies on March 4 at 6 p.m., viewing “One Night With the King.” There will be a Purim baking contest, judging homemade hamantaschen.

Beth Shalom in Baton Rouge will have a potluck dinner on March 4 at 6 p.m., followed by services and a megillah reading at 7 p.m.
Jewish Community Day School in Metairie will have an episode of “Shushan’s Got Talent” on March 4 at 8:30 a.m.

B’nai Israel in Monroe will have a Purim service on March 6 at 6 p.m., conducted by Mike Rhymes.

The Northshore Jewish Congregation in Mandeville will have its Purim Spiel by Frank Levy on March 5 at 7 p.m.

Shir Chadash in Metairie will have Ma’ariv and megillah reading starting at 6:15 p.m. on March 4, followed by kosher pizza and salad prepared by chefs from PizzaNOLA. There will be music by the Panorama Jazz Band.

Beth Israel in Metairie will have Family Purim Night and Breakfast for Dinner, March 4 at 6 p.m. Services and the megillah reading will start at 6:30 p.m.

Chabad in New Orleans will have a megillah reading and Purim bash Uptown at 6:15 p.m. on March 4, and a late reading at 9:30 p.m. There will be a megillah reading Uptown and at Chabad in Metairie during morning minyan on March 5. The Lambeth House Purim party and megillah reading will be at 10:30 a.m., followed by a downtown reading at noon, place to be announced.

The Chabad Jewish Center in Metairie will have Purim in Paris: Je Suis Purim “in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in France,” on March 5 at 5 p.m. There will be a megillah reading at 5 p.m., followed by the party at 5:30 p.m. There will be French cuisine, including French wine and a crepes station, a costume contest and live music by the Panorama Jazz Band. Reservations by March 2 are $18 for adults, $10 for kids, going up to $25 for adults and $15 for kids after March 2.

Gates of Prayer in Metairie will have a Purim celebration with Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Walt Handelsman on March 4 at 6 p.m. starting with a pizza dinner. There will also be Purim Spirits for Young Professionals at 6 p.m., and cartooning will start at 6:30 p.m.

On March 5, the Jewish Community Day School will make baskets for seniors at Sunrise Senior Living and sing Purim songs for them. They will have a festive lunch at the school at 11:45 a.m., and the community is invited. Cantor David Mintz of Touro Synagogue will read the megillah at the school at 12:45 p.m.

The New Orleans Jewish Community Center will have its annual community-wide Adloyadah Purim carnival on March 1 from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. There will be a costume parade, rides, music, Israeli food, hamantashen, and New Orleans snowballs, human hamster balls, inflatables, Middle Eastern and deli food. A children’s all day play pass is $12, or $10 with non-perishable items for the Broadmoor Food Pantry.

Anshe Sfard and Krewe du Jieux will have a New Orleans-style Purim on March 4. There will be a megillah reading at Anshe Sfard at 6:30 p.m., with the Noisician Coalition. Around 8:15 p.m., Krewe du Jieux will lead its 15th annual Purim second line, following the Panorama Jazz Band, marching in memory of Louis Lederman, Anshe Sfard member, Bone Tone Brass Band leader, beer enthusiast and reigning “Post-Humorous” King of the Jieuxs for Krewe du Jieux.

The Second Line will go to The Avenue Pub. Manager and fellow Tribe-member Polly Watts will provide the first round of shots on the house. Costumes are welcome, but the pub event is for ages 21 and up. There is no charge for the event but donations are appreciated.

Touro Synagogue in New Orleans will have the Megillah According to the Beatles, March 1 at 10 a.m. Esther, Mordecai, Achashveros and Haman will be joined by John, Paul, George and Ringo for a “magical mystery tour through Shushan.” The congregation is urging the use of boxes of macaroni and cheese as noisemakers, and the boxes will then be donated to the Broadmoor Food Pantry.

Temple Sinai in New Orleans will have a musical journey, “Into the Torah,” on March 4 at 5:15 p.m. The show is a musical journey where a child is “called by God” to go “Into the Torah” to be a Jewish Hero and save the Jewish people. Along the way, she must collect an apple from the Garden of Eden, a sleeve from Joseph’s coat, the staff of Moses, King Ahashveros’ signet ring and the shield of Judah Maccabee. A dinner sponsored by the Sisterhood will follow. There is no charge for the dinner but canned goods for the food bank are requested.

The Temple Sinai Brotherhood will sponsor a Family Fun Day at Audubon Park Shelter 11 on March 1 at 10:30 a.m.

The Shreveport community Purim party will be on March 1, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at B’nai Zion. A Chinese lunch will begin at 11:30 a.m. There will be face painting, balloon animals, a joke booth and prizes for everyone in costume.

B’nai Zion will have its Frozen Purim megillah reading on March 6 at 6 p.m., followed by a special oneg. Costumes are encouraged.

Agudath Achim Sisterhood in Shreveport will have its Purim covered dish dinner on March 4 at 6:30 p.m., for dairy or pareve dishes. The Sisterhood will provide drinks, bread and hamantaschen. A megillah reading will follow.

Mississippi

B’nai Israel in Columbus will have a Purim celebration on March 1 at 12:30 p.m. The Sisterhood fundraiser will include food and games, and the requested donation is $10 to $20.

Beth Israel in Gulfport will have its Purim carnival on March 1 at 10 a.m., and the megillah reading will be on March 4 at 6:45 p.m., with participation from Chabad of Southern Mississippi. After the traditional reading there will be an interactive English rendition.

Chabad of Southern Mississippi will have a daytime reading on March 5, starting at 4 p.m., followed by a festive meal.

In Jackson, Beth Israel will have a Frozen Purim, “Let Me Go, Let Me Go.” The 7 p.m. play on March 4 features Anna as Esther, Elsa as Vashti and Olaf as Mordecai.

The Beth Israel Temple Youth carnival is March 1 at 11:30 a.m., and marks the return of the BITY Auction, where the teens’ services can be purchased by congregants.