How To Birthday in New Orleans

From Sunday second line and Carnival parades to our many festivals and concerts, New Orleans is a city of celebration. If the city can party over everything from tomatoes to our departed, imagine how fun it can be to celebrate yourself here. For me, a New Orleans birthday has to include great company, incredible food, music whenever possible and the occasional “only in New Orleans” event.

Many people start the day by pinning money on their chest.

St. Patrick’s Parades 2019

The month of Carnival parades just ended on the 5th but we were back in the streets again ALL weekend starting with the Molly’s (Jim Monaghan’s) Irish Parade Friday in the French Quarter. The Pussyfooters were invited to join in the festivities this year and I love any chance to dance. The weather was awful, cold and rainy, but we were grateful for inclusion in the lively second line.

Saturday, we met family at the Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day Club‘s Irish Channel Parade. The parade features double-decker floats, dancers and bagpipers but the heart of the Irish Channel parade is the many groups of walkers exchanging silk flowers for kisses (mostly on the cheek).

Fat Tuesday – Costumes!

Mardi Gras (French for Fat Tuesday) splits the city into 2 main groups – parade-goers and costumers. The Krewe of Zulu starts the day of parades, followed by regal Krewe of Rex, then a long procession of truck parades – just floats, no bands or dancers.

We’re costumers so we headed to the Marigny to dive into the wackiness. There were group costumes including many clusters of Ruth Bader Ginsburgs. Trump wall interpretations were also popular. There were even 2 last suppers. The most popular costume was a blind referee or anything related to penalty flags.

Krewes of Proteus & Orpheus Parades 2019

Lundi Gras is all about the floats. Krewe of Proteus, the oldest night parade, was established in 1882 and the last I heard, the majestic floats still sit atop the original wooden chassis. The Krewe of Orpheus floats include lighted favorites like the dragon whose head moves and blows smoke, the super-long locomotive Smokey Mary and the Trojan Horse carrying a live band. But the real showstoppers are the floats covered in vibrant and plentiful flowers flecked with gold.

Orpheus celebrates musicians and performers. This year’s star-studded royalty offered Mario Lopez and Trace Adkins. Krewe co-founder Harry Connick Jr. rode as king along with his wife, Jill Goodacre, in the same float we got to ride in with Quentin Tarantino in 2014.

Krewes of Thoth and Bacchus Parades

I was looking forward to dancing with the Pussyfooters in the Krewe of Thoth parade, but the threat of severe weather led to a slimming of the day’s festivities. The 3 morning parades rolled without marching bands and dance krewes – just floats.

Krewe of Tucks 2019

Focused around toilet humor, the Krewe of Tucks parade is irreverently fun and kids love it.  Throws include hand-decorated plungers and scrub brushes and other potty-humored beads and toys. This year’s 50th anniversary theme was “Tucks Gets Sick” so there were also bandaid slap bracelets, stethoscopes and other medical goodies. Rolls of purple, green and gold toilet paper are always tossed over the arching live oak bows, leaving the route strewn with streamers. It’s actually kinda beautiful.

Tucks always puts on a great show with the animal-bikes of  Kolossos, the beaded corsets of Dames de Perlage and the Laissez Boys reclining in their motorized loungers, cocktails in hand.

Krewe of Iris 2019

Founded in 1917, Krewe of Iris is the oldest all-female krewe at 102. Their vibrant, beautiful floats began parading in 1959. Sunglasses are a signature throw with the hand-decorated ones being the most coveted. Saturday was warm so crowds were thick for the many marching bands and dancers. The Krewe of the Rolling Elvi also found a spot in the lively procession.