There was dancing and live music on Friday (Jan. 15) to unveil the third house float of the Krewe of Red Beans’ effort to put laid-off Mardi Gras artists to work. The theme for the Lower Garden District house float is “Acadiana Hayride,” and it features portraits of Cajun and zydeco musicians, dancing couples and of course a horse. The latter seems to block the entrance to the house. “We just squeeze in around it,” laughed homeowner Michael Burke.
When homeowner Stacey Burke donated to the Krewe of Red Beans’ “Hire A Mardi Gras Artist” crowdfunding site, she was doing it to support out-of-work Mardi Gras artists who lost their livelihoods with canceled parades. But she got a wonderful surprise by winning the raffle to have her house at Constance and Euterpe streets decorated.
The Burkes are fans of Cajun and zydeco music. So the theme for the Lower Garden District subkrewe of the Krewe of House Floats — “Let the Music Play” — seemed perfect for this “Hire A Mardi Gras Artist” project. Krewe of House Floats is a separate initiative from the Red Beans project. It has neighborhood subkrewes presenting their own themes with residents decorating their own houses.
The Burkes were happy to work with professional artists. “With the help of professional Mardi Gras float designers, we will honor the musicians of south Louisiana, namely, Cajun and zydeco music,” the Burkes said in an email. And honor they did, by having Louis Michot of the playing to delight the onlookers at the inauguration. Let the music play.