Mardi Gras

Wow, I made it through my first carnival season - what an intense celebration! I never knew that it would go on for weeks before Fat Tuesday or that there could possibly be so many parades. This year there were over 40 parades. It is totally different than the stereotypical Mardi Gras I ever heard about growing up – that is if you stay away from Bourbon Street. The festivities are really what you make of it. You can dress up in some crazy costumes, drink all day every day, enjoy it without drinking at all, bring your grandma or go with the frat house down the street. You can get your face painted watch the parades on TV, or go to pre or post-parade parties. At the very least you have to eat a piece of king cake, experience the magic of a parade, and catch some beads.


As a spectator you really get in the moment and all you want is someone to toss you a “throw”. Some parades have celebrity grand marshals, this is Kevin Costner throwing beads. Each parade has a variety of throws from beads, plastic cups, frisbees, doubloons, footballs, and even coconuts….then you get home and just wonder what the heck you are going to do with all that stuff. Especially the beads, I think I have 20 pounds of “authentic” Mardi Gras beads that I either caught or were given to me. When a float goes by everyone pushes forward hooting and hollering, “Throw me somthin’ mista!” All of the little kids have these awesome handcrafted high chair seats. They are little box seats on top of ladders. This way the kids have a good view and their parents or older siblings can climb up on the back of the ladder and watch too. These contraptions line the streets reserving their spot for the week.

My favorite parade was Zulu, Mardi Gras Day – bright and early. We got up around 6, collected our things and drove as close as possible. After a short trek down Saint Charles we found a small area that wasn’t already reserved to set up camp. The crazy thing was that so many of those people had been out there all night. Some students were still out and drunk from the night before some families had staked their claim hours earlier, some people had a full out camp-site. The mix of people is really part of the glory of it. I brought my little grill and we made all the people around us jealous by cooking a wonderful breakfast of eggs, sausage, and bagels. The parade started a bit after 8am and was rolling for hours. I am so amazed by the people on the floats and most of all by the bands and dance teams…those people walk for miles. I guess some parades can last for 12-15 hours! The prized throw of Zulu are the hand painted coconuts. It was a fight, but all of my housemates came home with one! A lady handed me a coconut from the float and then some girl grabbed it out of my hand. Luckily Courtney has a long reach and she was behind me to steal it right back!

On the afternoon of Fat Tuesday, we were brave and took a trip down to the French Quarter. Courtney’s twin sister and three of her friends from high school were staying with us. The six of us spent a lot of time walking around watching all the people. There was quite a lot to see – men in dresses, evangelists condemning everyone, beads flying, street performers, body paint, and outlandish costumes. We ran into Lizzy who was doing the Cupid Shuffle in the middle of the street with a group of random and spontaneous partiers. The best part of the day was when we were asked to come up on a balcony and throw off beads. It was the best view - we could see all the action and watch the people, but we were not getting pushed around or hit by beads ourselves. The streets were absolutely packed!

Overall it was a great first Mardi Gras for me. It seems to be impossible to explain the New Orleans “Mardi Gras” experience. It is truly something you have to experience for yourself – so start making plans!


Notes for next year:
Its hard to find a bathroom
Wear shoes that are easily cleaned.
It is almost impossible to find a parking spot.
Bourbon Street is trashier than ever, but always entertaining.
You will give yourself a panic attack if you worry about the litter.
The best view is from a balcony.
Be prepared to walk and stand a lot!

Here are some more pictures of the madness!

Barkus, the dog parade


We made our own masks


My students at our 1st annual Fannie C. Parade


People kept asking if we were triplets?


Man on stilts at Endymion


After parades the trees and power lines glisten with beads!


Some friends I found on the street