Travel: Carnival and Mardi Gras in New Orleans
Its Carnival season in New Orleans, and as I watch my news-feed on facebook and instagram fill with photos of the parades and festivities I'm finding myself filed with a deep feeling of nostalgia. This will be the first Mardi Gras I've missed in 6 years.
Mardi Gras is often misunderstood by the rest of the United States, we were brainwashed by the "girls gone wild" commercials into thinking it was nothing but topless girls screaming for beads. Does that happen? Occasionally, but only by drunken tourists who don't know any better. For the locals Carnival is a season of fun and magic, one that whole families partake in. Its two weeks of non-stop parades, balls, parties, and festivities. The whole city is in costume, the atmosphere is alive with excitement. The parade themes vary greatly: political satire, roman gods, star wars, boxed wine, and even a parade just for dogs.
Mardi Gras day (also known as Fat Tuesday) marks the final day of Carnival. It always falls on the Tuesday before lent. Zulu, the first parade of the day, starts around 8am. I would always get up by 6 to get in costume, and be over at a friends house by 7:30 to drink bloody marys and catch the parade with friends. Following the parades, the entire city floods into the French Quarter wearing their very best costumes. If you manage to stay awake and out until midnight you can watch a row of police mounted on horses kick everyone off the streets to begin the street cleaning....It is the only time you will ever truly see the New Orleans police force work so efficiently.
So I wanted to share some photos I've taken over the years of the festivities. I'be also added a couple of my recent costumes at the end. Do you celebrate Carnival where you live? If so, what kind of festivities do you do? I've heard we have a few parades in Greece but I haven't had a chance to check them out yet.
St. Ann Parade on Mardi Gras Day:
One of the Zulu float riders passing out some beads:
The crowd for the Zulu Parade on Jackson Ave.
Two men in costume marching in the Zulu Parade:
High school marching band playing in the Druids Parade:
A Mardi Gras Indian in full dress:
St. Ann Parade:
Another Mardi Gras Indian marching through the Central City neighborhood:
A bag of crawfish read for a boil:
The famous Bacchus alligator float in the Bacchus Parade:
A woman helping a friend with some makeup in the French Quarter:
A remote control dog float going through the French Quarter:
The Big Shot float in the Zulu Parade:
Costumed marchers in the St Ann Parade:
A young Mardi Gras Indian:
My Mardi Gras Day costume in 2017 (birds courtesy of a random lady who was passing by):
My costume for the Box of Wine Parade in 2015:
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Check out some more of my recent posts:
Travel: Sunio and the Temple of Poseidon in Greece.
Photography: Inner demons portrait series
Travel: The Santa Fe mountains
Wine and Music: Moerae (End/Vacantfield/Awe split) album review and wine pairing
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Nice photos and great costumes - can imagine that you miss it after those years :(
I'm playing drums in a brass band for carnival (called "Guggen" in Germany). After some gigs here and there since 11th November, it will come to it's final time starting this Thursday (called "Weiberfasching" or in English "Womens-carnival"). Then we will have around 3 concerts a day which comes to an end next week on "Ash Wednesday" when the lenten season begins.
I'm looking forward to a stressful but great time :)
That sounds like a lot of fun! It sounds like Carnival is a big deal in Germany as well!
It was always stressful and exhausting in New Orleans also, but also so much fun that it was definitely worth it!
very good photo and interesting post)
thank you!
Really cool pictures! Those close-up are just stunning!
thank you so much!
That looks absolutely fantastic. I think I am jealous ☺
Its so much fun! You should go one day!
Lovely photos. Festivities is always anticipated every year. It reminds me of a feast in my town, with street dancing, competitions and lots of events.
That sounds great! Which town does this happen in?
In the philippines, in my home town called San fabian. It named after a saint (Saint Fabian), and we celebrate every year. Oh how i miss my hometown a lot.
This is the story of festivities if my hometown if you want to have a glimpse of the culture and some photos.
https://steemit.com/my2018/@sherylneil/my-2018-a-tour-around-my-town-san-fabian-the-gem-of-the-north
Thank you for the reply. My best wishes to you. X
I'll check it out! thanks!
WoW, really nice photos!. i'd love to be there
I love Mardi Gras! It's my favorite festival ever! I've been there to experience it twice and skipping it this year. I was thinking about the good times in NOLA and so I also did a post on it today. I have to say even I was quite apprehensive of going for the festival coz I thought it would just be a drunk fest, but of course, I was so wrong. It's a must-have experience!
It gets such a bad rep in the media, but its such an amazing festival!