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 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.