The parades rouler and rouler and roulerOne last word on Mardi Gras before we move on. It is all about the big day. Mardi Gras is a full day. "Parades" come by about 11 where we stand, but for hours before than the costumed revelers parade down St. Charles. Then come the Marching clubs. Pete Fountain's is the most famous -- his "Half Fast Marching Club." Then Rex parades down the street in full regalia. Followed by parade after parade and extravagant float after extravagant float. More than 200 as I recall. (Get real, who's counting?)
Of course, that is not the only parade in town. Zulu is wandering its way through town. And the Mardi Gras Indians are out in much fuller regalia than Rex. The neighboring parish each have their celebrations, with the Fat City celebration in Metairie being the biggest of these bashes.
Of course if you followed yesterday's links you know that the weekend before and the nights and weekends before that are filled with parades.
Then at midnight on Fat Tuesday, it all comes to a stop. The bars and venues in the French Quarter shut down that one night at midnight. Why? Lent has begun.
The next morning all the streets will have been swept clean and the only traces of the revelry will be Mardi Gras beads hanging from trees and lamposts and what-have-you. Les bons temps are over for another year.
-- steve buser
Lagniappe
It was a conflict, no doubt. Do you want to shoot the lights on courthouse or the pretty pink sunset. Choose. Why can't I do both?
-- today on Pixel Eyed
7 comments:
This is a very interesting series Steve. I wonder tho if the best time to visit New Orleans is at some time other than Mardi Gras. What do you think?
Perhaps a bit like Venice and Carnivale. Some people love to visit then - others when it's quieter.
Thanks so much for taking the Balzi Rossi tour with me.
Hey, we are both doing 'tours'!
That float is really majestic with the painted foliage and regalia. I did follow links, but the link I'm mentioning is about the King Cake. I had mistakenly assumed this was some kind of large crab cake, as I was associating New Orleans with seafood. funny a crab cake, its actually a huge danish pastry! ha!
very nice event...I wish to be there:)
i enjoyed the series, Steve....we have a smaller scaler version of the parade here in Tampa, Fl .....called Gasparilla parade.......It's fun to be a part of the activity till it does not get rowdy!!!!
After your series about Mardi Gras everybody will want to buy airplane tickets for the next festival!
Why are all the hand up....!! Just celebrating??
Very colorful and interesting photo.
Laisser le bon temps rouler.
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