Pontchartrain & Choctaw Parades 2020

After 3 parades Friday night, Saturday was a 5-parade day starting with  the Krewe of Pontchartrain. The weather couldn’t have been more glorious for parading – 65, crisp and sunny – which made for thick crowds along St.Charles. The Big Easy Rollergirls led the way for school bands, dancers, baton twirlers, pom girls and plenty of floats. Tulane University’s band dazzled with lofty high-kicks.

Krewes of Pontchartrain & Choctaw

Saturday, the weather couldn’t have been more perfect for parades. Sunny and mid-70’s. Though the day promised to be amazing, the crowds were manageable since the NBA All Stars events have filled our hotels and party venues with people who aren’t here for Carnival. (We wore our Pelicans gear in solidarity – I went with the Kind Cake Baby). Krewe of Pontchartrain kicked us off for the first of five parades. The purple-and-white-clad women of Dance Connection led the Cajun Indians & Cowboys Riding Club and royalty floats. The roller-skating Big Easy RollerGirls and dancers from Dance Innovation and the Muff-A-Lottas got the crowd cheering. The many school marching bands included Saint Katharine Drexel Prep, Xavier University, Kipp Central City Academy, Pierre A. Capdau Charter School, Dolores T. Aaron Academy and Joseph S. Clark Prep. (PHOTOS)

Krewes of Pontchartrain & Choctaw

It’s Carnival time and the parades are in full swing. It was a balmy beautiful day for the Krewes of Pontchartrain and Choctaw so St. Charles was crowded with families, coolers and ladder chairs. Krewe of Pontchartrain (established 1975 and named for Lake Pontchartrain) is a tractor-drawn parade with an open door policy allowing even tourists to ride with them.  The Big Easy Rollergirls got things “rolling” along with  dance teams including  The Dance Connection, Xtreme Voltage Dance Team, Dance Innovation and the Muff-A-Lottas (all pictured below).

Krewes of Pontchartrain, Choctaw and Freret

This sunny, warm Saturday, the parades kicked into high gear with 5 parades rolling the Uptown route and 2 parades in the Marigny. We hit the daytime ones, the Krewes of Pontchartrain, Choctaw and Freret.  The tractor-drawn Krewe of Pontchartrain (established 1975 and named for Lake Pontchartrain) allows anyone with the cash to roll with them – even if they’re here as a tourist! The Dance Connection led the way for other dance teams including Xtreme Voltage Dance Team, Dance Innovation and crowd favorite – the Muff-A-Lottas (all pictured below).

St. Joseph’s Day and Italian Parade

After parading ourselves silly through Carnival season then St. Patrick’s week, St. Joseph’s Day was the next citywide celebration in New Orleans. Celebrated predominantly in parts of Sicily, St. Joseph (of Mary and Joseph fame) is credited with ending a famine during the Middle Ages by answering the city’s prayers for rain. Since then, the people of Sicily and their New Orleanian ancestors have been preparing an annual feast on elaborate altars, turning no one away from the bounty and giving the leftovers to the indigent. Like with St. Patrick and his festivities, the vast majority of New Orleanians are neither Irish nor Italian, but they know a good party when they see it.

Krewe of Okeanos

The Krewe of Okeanos was founded in 1949 by some Ninth Ward businessmen to bring a Carnival parade back to their neighborhood’s main drag, St. Claude Ave, though it now rolls Uptown. Named for the Greek God of oceans and lush valleys, the krewe has over 250 riders and rolled 19 floats depicting this year’s theme of “Children’s Fantasies.” The King was Garth Gilpin and the marshal was Vince Vance, whose moving song and video “I Am New Orleans,” marked the 5 year anniversary of Katrina.

Krewe of Pygmalion

Krewe of Pygmalion rolled on the heels of the Knights of Sparta last Saturday night, the topper to a 3 parade day. One of the more affordable krewes, both men and women ride. This year’s theme was “It’s All Greek to Me.” Greek Gods and Goddesses fronted the many floats but weren’t as spectacular as the royalty riding the floats. The peacock-like sequined displays surrounding the King, Queen and court are so cumbersome that the women are held up by an unseen harness hanging from a pole behind them.