Uptown Messenger (https://uptownmessenger.com/tag/parades/page/2/)
Carnival is about to get rolling. The Uptown parade season begins tonight with the krewes of Oshun, Cleopatra and Alla on the St. Charles Avenue route. This is the first year since the 2020, right before the pandemic shutdown, that krewes are parading on their traditional Uptown routes. And this year the queen of Uptown’s first Friday, the Krewe of Cleopatra, celebrates its golden 5oth anniversary.
The key to a good Mardi Gras Day is getting up early. There is so much fun to be had — don’t miss a minute. And before you go out, put on a costume. It could just be a mask, a silly hat, a cape, something sparkly, feathers, glitter. Mardi Gras is not just a spectator event.
The all-day Lundi Gras festivities culminate with two spectacular parades, one a study in old-world elegance and another in contemporary opulence. 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. Uptown residents need to plan accordingly.
Four parades will roll through Uptown today and tonight. The daytime parades will roll under the threat of rain, with a 50 percent chance of showers before 3 p.m. and a near certain chance of cloudy skies with a north wind, according to the National Weather Service. Daytime highs will be around 60. A low of 45 is expected for Bacchus tonight. Krewe of Okeanos
The Krewe of Okeanos was formed in 1949 to give its downtown neighborhood a Carnival parade of its own.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Uptown parade season begins tonight with the krewes of Oshun, Cleopatra and Alla on the St. Charles Avenue route. It will be a special anniversary ride for two of the krewes. Oshun is celebrating its 25th anniversary. And Alla, one of the city’s oldest krewes, will close out the night of parades on its 90th anniversary.
