Mardi Gras 101
Laissez les bon temps
roulez!
Attending Mardi Gras is not necessary in order to come to the convention
and enjoy a great time in
New Orleans.
The convention officially starts after the festivities end and there is plenty
of fabulous fun to have in the city without having to wear a mask. However, for
those of you who want to experience the revelry and romance of one of the most
famous celebrations in the world, it helps to know a little about it.
A (Very) Brief History
Mardi Gras has roots as far back
as the revelers in ancient Rome and a history that encompasses Roman emperors; the
Medieval Christian church; the Catholic church; bals masqués, or masked balls, in
Renaissance Italy; French culture, kings and explorers; and a Russian grand duke. The first
Mardi Gras pageant took place in 1857. Since then
New Orleans has staged more than 1,800 Mardis
Gras parades and, in 2008, the city will celebrate its 152nd Mardi
Gras.
Mardi Gras—A Season, Not Just a Day
Contrary
to popular belief, Mardi Gras (French for Fat Tuesday) is actually a multi-day
carnival season that starts each year on January 6, the Twelfth Night
feast of the Epiphany - the day the three kings visited baby Jesus. Fat Tuesday
(February 5, 2008), is the culminating day of the season, a date set by the
Catholic Church to occur the day before the penitential season of Lent.
Twenty-nine parades
are expected to roll in 2008, with even more filling the streets of several of
the city’s suburbs. The
New Orleans parading fun
starts on Saturday, Jan. 19 and culminates with the traditional line-up of
Zulu, Rex, Elks and
Crescent
City (all krewes) on Fat
Tuesday, Feb. 5. Conference rates at
Convention hotels begin on Saturday, February 2 and those of us staying in the
Convention hotels will have a ringside seat to catch all the beads, doubloons
and carnival spirit! Between Saturday and Fat Tuesday, more than a dozen krewes
will ride the traditional parade route through the heart of the city, from
Napoleon Avenue to
St. Charles Avenue
and
Canal Street.
The most famous “superkrewes,” including Endymion, Bacchus, and Orpheus, parade
the weekend before Fat Tuesday. Each of
these parades hosts celebrity Grand Marshals and Monarchs. Some of the celebrities in 2007 included James
Gandolfini, Harry Connick, Jr., Patricia Clarkson, and Taylor Hicks. In addition to all of the parades that will be
rolling, there’s s a huge Lundi Gras (Fat Monday) celebration along the
Riverwalk that features a ceremony welcoming the Kings of Zulu and Rex as well
as live music and a fireworks display.
The Krewes
Mardi Gras
organizations are non-profit clubs called krewes and many are named after
mythological figures such as Aphrodite, Eros, Hermes, Pegasus and Thor. Each
krewe is completely autonomous and there is no overall coordinator of Carnival
activities. The 15-37 floats in each procession are designed to illustrate the
parade's theme, and the maskers are costumed to reflect the title of each
float. Mardi Gras parades are more than just floats. A 200-member parading
krewe may actually have 3,000 participants, including band members, motorcycle
groups, dance teams, clown units, etc. A Carnival krewe is led by the captain,
who is the permanent leader of the group. Each year, a king and queen are
selected to reign over the parade.
What to Do and
Wear
The
single custom that most distinguishes Mardi Gras parades is that of throws -
trinkets tossed from the floats - which turn New Orleans parades into crowd
participation events unmatched anywhere. "Throw Me Something Mister"
is the battle cry of the million-plus people who line the parade routes. Most
popular among the millions of throws are those that illustrate the
organization's logo and the parade's theme, including plastic drinking cups,
medallion necklaces and colorful aluminum coins called doubloons.
Aside
from decorating yourself with the throws from the floats, join the locals and
don a funky wig or mask to get into the carnival spirit. There are lots of
shops in the French Quarter and booths along the French Market where you’ll
find plenty of supplies to put together the costume of your dreams. The most
elaborate costumes make their debut on Fat Tuesday and cover the gamut from
political satire to outrageous fantasy.
About the King
Cakes
King cakes
also have their roots in medieval
Europe, when
a tiny bean was place in the cake (as a sign of fertility) and whichever female
found the bean was crowned queen of the carnival. The French Catholics
substituted a tiny baby Jesus for the medieval bean. Today most king cakes are
made of brioche pastry was into an open circle like a crown, decorated with
jewel-like sugars and is made and served only between January 6 (the Feast of
the Three Kings) and Mardi Gras.
Catching the Parades
Your
convention hotel provides the perfect home base from which to view the parades
during carnival. However, the
traditional parade route traverses the city (see map below) and there are many
factors to consider when choosing your vantage point.
1. Timing. Parades along
the traditional route begin Uptown and make their way Downtown to the
Convention Center to disband. If you
plan to watch the parades on
Canal
Street, you can expect them to reach you about 2
hours from the listed start time. However, be prepared for some delays. It is not uncommon for parades to get held up due to mechanical or
logistical issues, so it may take the parade a bit longer to reach you.
2. Vibe. The scenery, crowd, and vibe of a parade can
vary significantly depending on your vantage point. The Uptown portion of the route (from the
start until around
Jackson Ave.)
is particularly family friendly—you’ll see locals hosting open houses, lots of
ladders on the neutral ground to provide the little ones with perches, and
picturesque tree-lined sidewalks. From
Jackson Avenue to
beyond
Lee Circle,
the feel becomes a little more commercial. There are fewer residences and more businesses and hotels, but still
plenty of local parade-goers and a family friendly atmosphere. Ask the concierge at your hotel about the
viewing stands around
Lee Circle;
for a small fee you can catch the parade, and rest your legs, from parade-side
bleachers. Canal Street attracts many of
the tourists staying in hotels that offer a prime viewing spot for the parades. You can’t beat the convenience of simply
walking out of your door to watch the parade and catch lots of loot.
3. Comfort and convenience. A little advanced planning will help you get
the most out of our parade experience. If you plan to venture away from your hotel to watch the parade, keep a
few things in mind. First, the parade
route closes to traffic a couple of hours before the parade begins, so if you
plan to take a cab or drive to a location to view the parade, leave early. Most cab drivers will know how to navigate
the parade route, but you still might find yourself stuck in traffic if you
wait until the last minute to make your move. Second, think about the creature comforts you’ll need. The only way to assure you’ll have a seat
along most of the parade route is to bring your own, so pack a small blanket or
chair if you know you’ll need a rest. Easy access to a restroom is important, especially if you are bringing
the kids along, so make sure you choose a viewing location with that in
mind. St. Stephen’s School (
1027 Napoleon Avenue)
and
Rayne
Methodist
Church
(
3900 St. Charles Avenue)
offer snacks and clean bathrooms at very reasonable rates. In addition, most
restaurants and bars open their restrooms to customers during parades and some
hotels along
St. Charles Avenue
sell “passes” that provide easy access to restrooms. Third, bring along a bag or backpack to store
all of the throws you’ll catch. Your
hands, and neck, will fill up pretty quickly during the parade, so its good to
have back-up storage for your goodies.
4. The “parade” on
Bourbon Street. None of the parades in the days leading up to
NASP actually rolls into the French Quarter. Of course, the French Quarter has its own carnival vibe, and the closer
you get to Bourbon, the more rowdy and raucous the scene.
Bourbon
Street during carnival is an experience to behold,
but is not for the feint of heart. As
the parades wind down and folks head downtown, the streets fill to capacity
with revelers. If you are looking for
the after-party, you’ll no doubt find it on Bourbon.
For up to
date information on parade schedules, maps, and all things carnival, check out
Arthur Hardy’s website (http://www.mardigrasguide.com/index.php),
the Mardi Gras section of www.NOLA.com (http://www.nola.com/mardigras/), and
the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau (http://www.neworleanscvb.com/index.cfm).
Parade Etiquette and Other Tips
You may
not believe this now, but it is very likely that you will become obsessed with
catching the most, and best, throws from the floats. What you once considered worthless trinkets
will become valuable, dare I say priceless, jewels. It is important to maximize your cache while
still behaving appropriately along the parade route, so a few guidelines are
provided below. More extensive
guidelines can by found on Arthur Hardy’s website (http://www.mardigrasguide.com/index.php)
and the Mardi Gras section of NOLA.com (http://www.nola.com/mardigras/).
1. Make eye contact and yell that all
familiar phrase, “Throw me something, Mister” (or Miss, or Baby or Darlin’ or
some other term of endearment).
2. Be distinctive. Grab the attention of the float riders by
wearing a funky hat or wig or by making a sign that pleads your case.
3. Keep your eye (and foot) on the
prize. If you miss a throw like a pair
of beads or a doubloon, quickly claim it by putting your foot on top of
it—that’ll keep it safe until the dust has cleared and you can bend down to
pick it up. Avoid the impulse to immediately
bend down and grab something—or you could find your fingers under someone
else’s foot.
4. Don’t throw things back at the
floats or float riders. Aside from being
rude, you could hurt someone.
5. And don’t throw money at the
flambeaux carriers. I realize this one
needs some explanation. Historically,
night parades were lit by individuals carrying flame torches, or
flambeaux. Although no longer necessary,
this tradition continues, as does the tradition of parade-goers tipping the
carriers for their efforts. You will
still witness some folks tossing coins in the street for the carriers, but it
is much more courteous to hand the carrier your tip.
Costuming
Whether you
are looking for a simple mask or hat or an entire costume to wear out on Mardi
Gras day, these local costume shops have what you need. For more mask and costume shops, visit the
New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau website at http://www.neworleanscvb.com/index.cfm
Maskarade
Mask Shop,
630 St. Ann St.
(French Quarter), (504) 568-1018
Masquerade
Fantasy Leather Masks,
1233
Decatur St. (French Quarter), (504) 593-9269.
New Orleans Masks,
939 Montegut St. (French Quarter), (504)
945-2435.
New Orleans Party and Costume,
705 Camp St.
(Central Business District), (504) 525-4744.
Uptown
Costume and Dancewear,
4326
Magazine St. (Uptown), (504) 895-7969.
Some of this information is adapted from an article by
Arthur Hardy, publisher of the annual Mardi Gras Guide magazine, and posted on
the
New Orleans
Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau website at www.neworleanscvb.com