Rolling today: Krewe of Iris and Krewe of Tucks

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The sun is expected to shine on today’s Uptown parades, Iris and Tucks. The National Weather Service attributes the clear, dry weather to “a deep layer ridge axis and associated negative vorticity advection,” but we believe it’s the Krewe of Iris’ special relationship with the goddess of the skies. During the Krewe of Tucks parade, however, expect a steady rain of toilet paper over the route. Temperatures will be cooler than average, with predicted highs only in the upper 50s. Krewe of Iris
The Krewe of Iris, founded in 1917 and parading since 1959, is the oldest and largest of the women’s krewes.

parades

Rolling tonight: Mystic Krewe of Hermes, Krewe d’Etat, Krewe of Morpheus

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The Fat Friday parades take over the Uptown parade route tonight, ushering in a busy Carnival weekend. The elegant Mystic Krewe of Hermes is followed by the irreverent Le Krewe d’Etat and the fast-growing Krewe of Morpheus. The official starting point for the Uptown parades is Napoleon Avenue and Prytania Street, but krewes line up well in advance. The line-ups will affect traffic and parking from St. Charles Avenue to Tchoupitoulas Street.

opinion

Viewpoint: As new variant threatens the city, maskless officials send a dangerous message

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When New Orleans elected officials don’t feel the urgency to consistently wear masks at Carnival festivities, how can they expect citizens and visitors to take the rules seriously?  Social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter and Nextdoor have been blowing up with posts this week regarding the reckless behavior of Mayor LaToya Cantrell, her besties and others whose images were captured sans masks at the Mayor’s Mardi Gras Ball last Friday night. National and international media attention was extensive. 

“Why waste your emotions on this,” wrote  Daveida Pittman on Nextdoor. “We all know what it is. But the citizens elected her again, so apparently people love the hypocrisy ….” New Orleanians  understand that the rules Cantrell put in place allow for masks to be removed when eating or drinking. Most of the Gallier Hall video and other images available appear to show that masks were barely worn once the party moved into high gear.

Mardi Gras

Yardi Gras stories: Creative recycling on display in Lower Garden District house floats

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Although Mardi Gras as we know it is back, houses are once again on parade. The Krewe of House Floats, created in 2021 so New Orleanians could enjoy Carnival even though parades were canceled, may have taken hold. 

This year, with parades rolling again and Carnival in full swing, many people recycled their house float from last year, adding a few extra special touches to update them for the 2022 season. The Krewe of House floats continues to connect artists and homeowners to create unique and beautiful house floats that add to the festivities of the Carnival season. 

The subkrewe of Garden District and Lower Garden District does not have an exact theme for the 2022 season, but that didn’t stop the celebration. Instead, in the true spirit of “Do Whatcha Wanna,” the neighborhood came together to create looks that capture that magic of Mardi Gras and New Orleans itself. Kelli Walker Starrett’s theme is the song “They All Ask’d For You.” Her house float on Chippewa and Josephine streets depicts a second-line of local animals, including a gator, a crawfish and a pelican.

parades

Rolling tonight: Knights of Babylon, Knights of Chaos, Krewe of Muses

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Tonight is Jeudi Gras, for many a highlight of the parade season, and it normally draws large crowds. The Knights of Babylon kick it off, followed by the satirical Knights of Chaos and closing with the superstar Krewe of Muses. The official beginning of parades is at Napoleon Avenue and Prytania Street, but krewes line up well in advance. The line-ups will affect traffic and parking from St. Charles Avenue to Tchoupitoulas Street.

Mardi Gras

Yardi Gras stories: ‘Pure Imagination’ fuels house floats in Broadmoor and Fontainebleau

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Last year ago, the unimaginable happened: February passed in New Orleans with no Carnival parades. With parades cancelled due to Covid, there were no massive floats rolling the street, no masses of revelers standing elbow-to-elbow and hollering to have some beads thrown their way. 

So New Orleanians had to use their own imagination and come up with a safer way to celebrate. What they came up with was Yardi Gras: a new tradition where revelers decorated their own homes as elaborate floats. This year, Mardi Gras is back — but Yardi Gras survives as well, along with the spirit of imagination and ingenuity it represents. While there are fewer homes participating in the Krewe of House Floats this year, there’s still plenty of creativity on display, as seen in the neighborhoods of Broadmoor and Fontainebleau.

parades

Rolling tonight: Krewe of Ancient Druids, Mystic Krewe of Nyx

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The steady week-long drum beat to Mardi Gras begins tonight, with parades from the Ancient Druids and the Mystic Krewe of Nyx. The all-male Druids and the all-female Nyx are known for delivering barbs back and forth, employing signs on their floats for veiled insults. This friendly rivalry can add a touch of drama to this parade weeknight. Since its last parade in 2020, however, Nyx has been undergoing its own dramas. One thing both Wednesday night krewes have in common: They keep their theme under wraps until the parade.

Mardi Gras

Yardi Gras stories: University area house floats celebrate ‘Les Bons Temps’

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When three smaller subkrewes of the Krewe of House Floats —University, Freret and St. Charles Avenue — melded into one, an anything-goes theme evolved, which in turn became “Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler,” said subkrewe captain Jenna Rockett. With no constraints to follow, krewe members improvised their individual whims. The Bergers of State Street decided to lean into their name by turning their house into a burger joint. The family’s “State Street Soda Shoppe” house float serves up a giant balcony burger, fries, a milkshake and an ice cream sundae. It’s a theme that delights the Bergers’ two young daughters, Lillian and Grace.

parades

Rolling today: Mystic Krewe of Femme Fatale, Krewe of Carrollton, Krewe of King Arthur

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The first weekend of Uptown parades closes out Sunday (Feb. 20) with three crowd-pleasing daytime parades. The sun is expected to shine on Femme Fatale, Carrollton and King Arthur. The National Weather Service promises near-perfect parade weather with highs in the upper 60s. The official beginning of parades is at Napoleon Avenue and Prytania Street, but krewes line up well in advance.

Rolling today and tonight: Pontchartrain, Choctaw, Freret, Sparta, Pygmalion

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Saturday is very full parade day, with five krewes and their accompanying bands and dancers keeping the Uptown route lively from early afternoon until late evening. The National Weather Service promises a mostly sunny day with highs near 60 degrees. In the evening, clear skies and a low around 46 degrees are expected. The route

All parades will follow the same abbreviated route:
Start: Napoleon Avenue and Prytania Street
Proceed down Napoleon
Right on St. Charles Avenue
Proceed on St.