Gay Pride Parade 2018

After ending food and music at the Creole Tomato Fest and the fun spectacle of the Naked Bike Parade, we were primed for the Gay Pride Parade. Bigger and longer every year, the parade includes LGBTQ groups, community organizations, churches and more. Dance and walking krewes included Roux La La, Sirens, High Quality, Krewe des Fleur, Krewe of Goddesses, Crescent City Fae, AUX, NOLA Cherry Bombs, Disco Amigos and the Krewe of the Rolling Elvi. I worked up a sweat dancing when One Shot Brass Band got stuck on from of us for a while. I also spotted singing, fiddling spitfire, Amanda Shaw, and the always moving Dancing Man 504.

There were over 20 parade floats as well as drag queens and walking groups

Gay Pride Parade 2017

Occurring just after the Naked Bike Ride and the Creole Tomato Fest, the Gay Pride Parade seems to be growing each year. In addition to the many LGBT groups, there were representatives from rugby, track club and kickball teams, the teachers union, Planned Parenthood and community organizations like churches and a suicide prevention center. And of course there were drag queens and walking groups from Big Easy Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Mystic Krewe of the Lords of Leather and the New Orleans Girls of Leather. 

Gay Pride Parade 2016

Gay Pride is usually one of the smaller parades in New Orleans compared with our bevy of Mardi Gras, Halloween, Christmas, etc. parades. But this year was different owing mostly to the recent tragic events in Orlando. This year, there were reportedly over 2500 people riding, walking or dancing in the parade as well as many floats. I happy-cry a lot at our parades, overwhelmed with the beauty, the music and the joy of it all. But as the first float rolled past, I sad-cried. The float had been left riderless in memory of the shooting victims and was followed by dozens of people holding up photos and names of those lost. It was a beautiful tribute that cut right to my heart. I’d rather remember their names and faces than the murderer’s. The rest of the parade featured glittery rainbow-festooned fabulousness that I’m sorry I don’t have time to elaborate on – but enjoy the photos!

Festigals and Gay Pride Parades

Saturday was a day of drag with the Festigals and Gay Pride parades . Ladies first. Last year, Festigals’ Stiletto Stroll was my first ever parade as a Pussyfooter. It’s a sassy woman-centric second line through the French Quarter during the Festigals’ weekend getaway of yoga, empowerment and success panels, shopping, cooking demonstrations and networking events. This year, they added a new fundraiser, the Stiletto Sprint, benefitting the Breast Center at Ochsner Baptist. It’s a 2 block race on Royal Street in minimum 3″ heels – costumes encouraged. The supremely leggy Tammy McCormick Broussard won the race, passing superwoman and other superheroes in her sky-high red heels.

Pussyfooter – Baby Steps at Festigals

The Pussyfooters are a New Orleans dance troupe of over 100 women over-30 who perform in parades, second lines and events. Dressed in head to toe pink and orange, they are, “Majorettes from the Mothership sent here to help the party people get their groove on.” Founded in 2001, they promote the values of service and empowerment. The group just added several new members and one of them is me! I haven’t quite figured out how I’m going to blog about parades when I’m not on the sidelines recording them as they pass, but I do feel I’m entering a whole new level of being a local.