Southern Decadence was cancelled in 2020 for the pandemic, then again in 2021 for Hurricane Ida. 2022 marked the 50th anniversary of the costumes, parties and parades celebrating the LGBTQ community. The now-6-day weekend attracts over 210,000 people annually and creates a $250 million economic impact making it one of the top 5 annual events in New Orleans.
This year’s colors were red and gold. Continue reading →
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Tagged as 50th anniversary, All Ways Cabaret & Lounge, AllWays Cabaret & Lounge, Big Easy Roller Derby, Big Easy Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Camel Toe Lady Steppers, Disco Amigos, french quarter, Krewe d’Esprit, Krewe de Lune, Krewe des Fleurs, Krewe of Chewbacchus, Krewe of the Rolling Elvi, latonola, Laura Cayouette, Lucha Krewe, Muff-A-Lottas, National Salad Tossers Union, new orleans, Nola Heat, NOLA Night Lights, parade, Pups and Handlers, Pussyfooters, Ritmeaux Krewe, Rolling Elvi, Roux La La, Southern Decadence, southern decadence 50th, Streetcar Strutters, The Beyjorettes, The Lords of Leather
Southern Decadence – 5 days of costumes, parties and parades celebrating the LGBTQ community – attracts over 210,000 people annually and creates a $250 million economic impact making it one of the top 5 annual events in New Orleans. It’s also one of my favorite walking parades of the year, an explosion of vibrant colors and fanciful costumes. This year’s theme was Fruit Salad: Come Toss a Good Time which led to a Carmen Miranda inspired spectacle. Continue reading →
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Tagged as Baby Dolls, Big Easy Rollergirls, Big Easy Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Camel Toe Lady Steppers, Crescent City Fae, Disco Amigos, El Lucha Krewe, Flaming Flagetts, french quarter, Fruit Salad, Fruit Salad: Come Toss a Good Time, hula hoop, Jeff Goldblum, Krewe de Lune, Krewe de Lune’s Star-Steppin’ CosmoNaughties, Krewe des Fleurs, Krewe of Goddesses, Krewe of P.U.E.W.C., Krewe of sPANk, Krewe of the Rolling Elvi, latonola, LGBT, LGBTQ, Lords of Leather, Louisiana Pups and Handlers, Mermoux, Merry Antoinettes, Morton’s Salt, Morton’s Salt girl, Muff-A-Lottas, music, Mystic Krewe Lords of Leather, Mystic Krewe of P.U.E.W.C., Mystic Krewe of The Lords of Leather, new orleans, New Orleans Louisiana Pups and Handlers, New Orleans Pups and Handlers, NOLA Night Lights, Organ Grinders, Pair-A-Dice, Pair-A-Dice Tumblers, parade, Pussyfooters, Ritmeaux Krewe, Roux La La, Satin Dolls, Satin Dolls -N- Heels, Scooter Club, Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Southern Decadence, Star Steppin' Cosmonaughties, Streetcar Strutters, Voodoo Scoots, Voodoo Scoots Scooter Club
With just Krewes of Druids rolling, Wednesday used to be a quiet kickoff to 7 straight days of parades. Druids is a smaller krewe with less than 200 members, all masked and anonymous. I always enjoy the school bands and adult dance troupes like the Organ Grinders and Crescent City Fae.
Since 2012, the diverse all-female Super Krewe of Nyx has joined the Wednesday festivities hosting literally thousands of riders. Continue reading →
Filed under Carnival, Culture, decorations and costumes, free events and lagniappe, Mardi Gras 2019, parade
Tagged as Angela Hill, beads, carnival, Crescent City Fae, Disco Amigos, floats, krewe, Krewe de Lune, Krewe of Druids, Krewe of Nyx, Krewes of Nyx, Krewes of Nyx purse, latonola, marching band, mardi gras, new orleans, Nyx purse, Organ Grinders, parade, paradetracker.com, purse, purses, Pussyfooters, Sirens, st. charles, throws
I wrote a lovely blog about the Knights of Sparta and Krewe of Pygmalion parades with anecdotes about huddling with people from all over when the rain poured. But technology has defeated me and that post disappeared as I went to publish. Enjoy the photos! Continue reading →
Filed under Carnival, Culture, decorations and costumes, free events and lagniappe, Mardi Gras 2019
Tagged as beads, carnival, CosmoNaughties, floats, Knights of Sparta, krewe, Krewe de Lune, Krewe of Pygmalion, Krewe of Sparta, latonola, marching band, mardi gras, new orleans, parade, pygmalion, sparta, st. charles, Star Steppin' Cosmonaughties, throws
Southern Decadence is 5 days of costumes, parties and parades celebrating the LGBT community. Marking their 47th year, an M.C. reminded the crowd the event has been around since being gay was illegal. Now, the long weekend attracts over 210,000 people and creates a $250 million economic impact – making it one of the top 5 annual events in New Orleans.
Good weather held out for most of the Sunday parade, save one fairly brief and cooling shower. Drag queens, dance troupes, pride groups and other revelers took to the streets in costumes Continue reading →
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Tagged as Alter Egos, Baby Dolls, Big Easy Roller Girls, Camel Toe Lady Steppers, Crescent City Rougaroux Rugby, Dancing Man 504, dancingman504, Disco Amigos, drag queens, El Lucha Krewe, Flaming Flagetts, french quarter, Gay Parade, House of Bourbon, House of Bourbon: Unleash Your Beast, hula hoops, Jailhouse Rockers, krewe, Krewe de Lune, Krewe des Fleurs, Krewe of Goddesses, Krewe of sPANk, Krewe of the Rolling Elvi, latonola, LGBT, LGBTQ, Lords of Leather, Louisiana, Lucha Krewe, Mermoux, Merry Antoinettes, Muff-A-Lottas, music, Mystic Krewe Lords of Leather, Mystic Krewe of P.U.E.W.C., Mystic Krewe of The Lords of Leather, new orleans, New Orleans Louisiana Pups and Handlers, NOLA Night Lights, Nola Nyxettes, Nyxettes, Organ Grinders, Pair-A-Dice, Pair-A-Dice Tumblers, parade, Pups and Handlers, Pussyfooters, Ritmeaux Krewe, Rolling Elvi, Roux La La, Southern Decadence, Star Steppin' Cosmonaughties, Streetcar Strutters, Unleash Your Beast
We’ve heard it a lot in the last few days – this was the best Carnival (Mardi Gras season) in years. In fairness, a lot of it had to do with the extraordinarily wonderful weather. After the 50 degree rain-soaked Krewe of Cleopatra parade, most days were 70-80 and sunny with breezes. This year, I danced in 3 parades with the Pussyfooters. We were excited to debut our super-hero-inspired capes and signature pink corsets at the Cleopatra parade but mostly ended up covered in dripping-wet plastic sacks. That said, the crowds kept us inspired. Carnival parades are like a perpetual motion machine. The paraders bring energy to the crowds and the crowds bring energy to the paraders.
Though routines are set, each year I get to do new things at Mardi Gras and have new experiences. Continue reading →
Filed under Carnival, Culture, decorations and costumes, free events and lagniappe, Mardi Gras 2017, parade
Tagged as 100 Years, 610 stompers, Amelia Earhawts, Baby Dolls, behind-the-scenes, Big Easy Rollergirls, carnival, costumes, Dames de Perlage, Dancing Man 504, dancingman504, Disco Amigos, Fat City Drum Corp, flambeau, floats, french quarter, Frenchy, Harry Connick, high school, Jr, Kolossos, krewe, Krewe D'Etat, Krewe de Kolossos, Krewe de Lune, Krewe De Seuss, Krewe des Fleurs, Krewe du Vieux, Krewe of Alla, Krewe of Carrolton, Krewe of Choctaw, Krewe of Cleopatra, Krewe of Druids, Krewe of Femme Fatale, Krewe of Freret, Krewe of Hermes, Krewe of Iris, Krewe of King Arthur, Krewe of Morpheus, Krewe of Muses, Krewe of Nyx, Krewe of Orpheus, Krewe of Pontchartrain, Krewe of Proteus, Krewe of Pygmalion, Krewe of Sparta, Krewe of the Bearded Oysters, Krewe of the Rolling Elvi, Krewe of Thoth, Krewe of Tucks, Krewedelusion, latonola, marching band, mardi gras, Mount Carmel Academy, Muff-A-Lottas, new orleans, NOLA Cherry Bombs, Nola Nyxettes, Nola Showgirls, Organ Grinders, Oui Dats, parade, Pussyfooters, st. charles, throws
L.A. to N.O.LA