Krewe du Vieux & Krewedelusion 2017

Though Carnival season started on Twelfth Night, the parades don’t start rolling until Krewe du Vieux and Krewedelusion kick things off in the French Quarter. Saturday was the mildest weather anyone could remember for the parades. Normally bundled in coats and often huddled under balconies and umbrellas, we were out in short sleeves and sandals. Many were in costumes including my fellow Pussyfooters dancers, Lydia Benson and Christine Miller (of Two Chicks Walking Tours). Krewe du Vieux features lots of great local brass bands, micro-krewes of walkers and a bawdy focus on satirizing politics. The normally hard-hit mayor and newly-elected governor got a free pass this year as the parade focused almost entirely on the new President.

Jefferson Parish President Mike Yenni, who sexted with a teenage boy and bought him underwear took a few jibes as did the selling-out of Jazz Fest, but otherwise – all the floats used the President’s own vulgar language and political choices against him. The theme was “Crass Menagerie.” One of my favorites was Mama Roux’s “Rouxling Crass” float and walkers. They all wore beautifully crafted white paper wigs (I wish I’d gotten a better photo).

After a brief break, Krewedelusion took the streets following the Joseph S. Clark Prep marching band. The colorful Krewe de Seuss is always a favorite for me as well as the Krewe of King James, an ode to James Brown. As their “King James” reminds us, Carnival is a perfect time to, “Dance till you feel better.”

We had started the day with a delicious King Cake from Wink’s Bakery and decided to end it there too with full-sized pizzas for $5 – with made-from-scratch crust. On Decatur, we passed Vaunt 3D, a pop-up “3D selfie studio” inside the art gallery at 1305. Anyone, including pets, children and those who hope to preserve their Mardi Gras costumes, can step inside the 3D photo booth and be photographed from 90 angles simultaneously. The data is then used to create a life-encapsulating statue in full color. I might have to pop in before they close shop on the 27th and get one in my Pussyfooters uniform.

Come see the Pussyfooters dance in Krewes of Cleopatra, Femme Fatale, Nyx, Muses and Thoth! You should be able to find me dancing in my pink corset in Cleopatra, Muses and Thoth.