The St. Katharine Drexel Prep marching band performs on Magazine Street. (Robert Morris, UptownMessenger.com)
The two krewes leading the march tonight into the final week of the season represent the old line and new wave in Carnival krewes.
The night opens with the Ancient Druids, a highly secretive all-male krewe that limits its members to Carnival veterans who parade with other krewes. The Druids are followed by the Mystic Krewe of Nyx, an exuberant all-female group that has grown quickly to become the youngest superkrewe.
The parades follow the same route (shown below), starting on Jefferson and Magazine and turning on Napoleon before rolling on St. Charles Avenue into the CBD.
The National Weather Service on Wednesday morning put the rain changes at 40%. Forecasts show the rain moving in later during the night, so there’s hope the precipitation will have the decency to wait until after the parades have passed. Temperatures are expected to be in the 60s, dipping to a low of around 55.
Ancient Druids
Robert Morris, Uptown Messenger file photo
The Druids’ “Tree of Life” float rolls on Magazine Street in 2019. (Robert Morris, UptownMessenger.com)
The Mystic Krewe of Druids held its procession after Rex on Mardi Gras Day during the 1920s and ’30s. The Ancient Druids, formed in 1998, took the name and, apparently, some inspiration from that krewe, presenting a more traditional 18-float parade. It’s a parade-only krewe — with no bal masque — and doesn’t have a court. It is ruled by Arch Druid, who rides with his jester. The identity of the Arch Druid (or any krewe member, for that matter) is never revealed. The theme remains a secret until the parade.
Look for: Flambeaux carriers accompany this krewe. The Marine Corps Band shows revelers the beauty of precision.
Catch it if you can: The Druids, presented by the Golden Acorn Society, gives out plush acorns as one of its signature throws. Another signature throw, lighted wands, make the night more magical.
Route:
START: 6:15 p.m. at Jefferson Ave. and Magazine St.
Right on Magazine St.
Left on Napoleon Ave.
Right on St. Charles. Ave.
Proceed on St. Charles. Ave. around Lee Circle.
Right on Canal St.
Right on Tchoupitoulas St.
END: Tchoupitoulas St. and Poydras St.
Route for Ancient Druids and Mystic Krewe of Nyx (via ready.nola.gov)
Mystic Krewe of Nyx
Nyx rolls on Magazine Street in 2019. (Robert Morris, UptownMessenger.com)
The Mystic Krewe of Nyx sees itself as a sisterhood; its website has the motto: “Where strangers become sisters.” The 8-year-old krewe has become one of Carnival’s largest, now with about 3,400 sisters. It is named for the Greek goddess of the night, a daughter of Chaos and an oracle so powerful even Zeus deferred to her wishes. The parade rolls with 44 floats and a wide array of bands and dance troupes. Nyx has one thing in common with Druids: Its theme remains secret until the parade.
Look for: Special float pays tribute to broadcaster and Nyx member Nancy Parker, who died in an August plane crash, with Parker’s family riding in a place of honor. Parker was to be the Nyx grand marshal this year.
Catch it if you can: Nyx members glitter and hand-decorate purses as their signature throw. This year there will be throws honoring Nancy Parker.
Route (the same as Druids’):
START: 7 p.m. at Jefferson Ave. and Magazine St.
Right on Magazine St.
Left on Napoleon Ave.
Right on St. Charles Ave.
Proceed on St. Charles Ave. around Lee Circle.
Right on Canal St.
Right on Tchoupitoulas St.
END: Tchoupitoulas St. and Poydras St.
Safety, parking, transportation
As always, take care in large crowds and report suspicious activity to public safety officials. See additional information about Mardi Gras parades at ready.nola.gov/mardi-gras or text MARDIGRAS to 888777 for updates from the city of New Orleans.
Parking is restricted along parade routes two hours before and after parades to be sure parade elements and sanitation crews can access the street. Parking personnel will be monitoring for illegal parking. Call 504-658-8100 for parking enforcement. See additional Mardi Gras parking information.
Depending on the parade route, parking may be prohibited on either side of the following streets two hours before and after parades. Follow all posted signs.
• Tchoupitoulas from Jackson to Nashville
• Napoleon from Tchoupitoulas to South Claiborne
• St. Charles from Napoleon to Canal
• Tchoupitoulas from Poydras to Calliope
Before parades begin or when crowd size warrants, the New Orleans Police Department will close the route to vehicles. Plan ahead and avoid streets that intersect with parades. Additional intermittent closures will be necessary as parade elements travel across the city. Track the lead and tail of parades as they roll with the parade tracker at routewise.nola.gov.
All RTA service alerts, updates, and detours can also be accessed by downloading the RTA’s GoMobile app. To learn more, visit www.norta.com or call Ride Line at 504-248-3900.
