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

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.

All of tonight’s parades follow the traditional Uptown route and include the family-friendly stretch of Magazine from Jefferson to Napoleon, where neighbors gather to enjoy the parades together.

The night will be mostly cloudy and cooler than the past two nights, with a low in the upper 30s, according to the National Weather Service. Revelers will need to add some layers to their parade-watching outfits.

Mystic Krewe of Hermes

Named for the winged courier of the gods, the Mystic Krewe of Hermes delivers its message with pageantry and moves at a disciplined pace.

The all-male krewe is also known for powering through hard times. It was formed at the height of the Great Depression and was one of the first krewes to reorganize after Hurricane Katrina.

History tells us that this krewe’s inaugural parade in 1937 dazzled revelers with a new innovation: Colored neon lighting outlined its floats, complemented by the traditional flambeaux. Hermes still uses state-of-the-art lighting and is also known for its LED throws.

The Hermes floats have always emphasized craftsmanship, detail and narrative, and its present-day designs by Henri Schindler continue that tradition. This year, 34 floats will carry more than 800 riders.

Starts: 5:30 p.m. at Magazine Street and Jefferson Avenue

Theme: “The Apocalypse”

Watch for: Two crowd favorites, the 610 Stompers and the St. Augustine Marching 100, join the Hermes parade.

Catch it if you can: You can catch a costume at this parade; riders throw full-length capes with LED lights and golden tutus. The Hermes doubloons come in three colors.

Le Krewe d’Etat

This all-male Krewe d’Etat, known for its sharp satirical floats, has this warning to its followers from its leader, the Dictator: “The Dictator assures his denizens that no rank or office is immune from his wit.”

The 24 d’Etat floats have traditional beauty as well as satirical wit. The Dictator’s Banana Wagon is pulled by mules, and the captain and lieutenants ride on horseback throughout the parade.

Starts: 6:30 p.m. (follows Hermes)

Watch for: The Skeleton Krewe leads the parade handing out D’Etat Gazette, a fold-out guide to the floats.

Catch it if you can: D’Etat was the first krewe to throw lighted blinking beads; its signature throw has a blinking skull. You can also catch a dictator hat or a jester hat to wear home.

Krewe of Morpheus

New Orleanians have been closing out Fat Friday night with Morpheus, named for the Greek god of sleep and dreams, since 2000. Morpheus shaped and formed dreams, through which he could appear to mortals in any form.

The krewe’s 800 male and female riders on 24 floats are known for being generous with their throws.

Starts: 7 p.m. (follows d’Etat) on Magazine and Jefferson

Theme: “Morpheus Dreams of a Tune”

Watch for: Name that tune: The floats represent popular songs.

Catch it if you can: Morpheus’ signature throw is a hand-decorated sleep mask. Other throws include LED wizard hats and moon headbands and plush sheep, moons and pillows.

You can check the parade’s location on the city’s Parade Tracker. Find additional information about Mardi Gras parades at ready.nola.gov/mardi-gras. Text MARDIGRAS to 77295 for updates from the city.

See here for information on parking, driving and getting around. See here to find out where to find out where the porta-potties are located.