Krewes of Pontchartrain and Choctaw Parades 2023

I didn’t take many photos of the Friday night parades – Oshun, Cleopatra and Alla, but we had a great time kicking off the Uptown parade season. It was a cold, wet night but the wind stayed away so it was manageable. One of the floats helped our family out with a gender reveal – it’s a girl! And I loved cheering on my Pussyfooter sisters as they danced past. I’ll be joining them for Carrollton, Muses and Thoth.

Oshun & Cleopatra Parades 2022

It’s been 2 long years since floats rolled down St. Charles – and it’s wonderful having our Mardi Gras back! We’ve been parading since Jan. 6th but the Krewes of Oshun, Cleopatra and Alla were the first to roll giant floats spewing beads, plushies, cups and more.

Parades! Krewes of Oshun & Cleopatra

Friday’s parades kick off a weekend full – starting with the Krewes of Oshun & Cleopatra. I get like a kid at Christmas this time of year so the night was made even better by sharing it with friends and their tiny tots. Oshun features many school bands and youth dance troupes. The parade used to roll solo to much lighter crowds. Since adding Cleopatra to the evening, the crowds have filled in substantially.

Cleopatra likes to coat the crowd in blinkies leaving a trail of lighted medallions, headpieces, bracelets, swords and more.

Krewe of Oshun Video

As promised, here’s the video of last week’s official Mardi Gras parade season opener, the Krewe of Oshun. I uncharacteristically stood on the neutral ground side (where the streetcars run, rather than the sidewalk side). Local Who Dat shop, Fleurty Girl, has cute t-shirts declaring your viewing side.

Oshun Rolls and Mardi Gras begins!

Parade season has officially begun in Uptown with the rolling of the Krewe of Oshun (founded in 1996). The weather has been glorious for a couple weeks. I donned a purple shirt and scarf (in my hair) and green shoes and headed up to St. Charles. We have a new toy this year, Mardi Gras Parade Tracker, a parade tracker using a GPS system and actual manpower to walk at the front of each parade.

I love a parade

Okay, so I meant to post this a few days ago, but it’s been an action packed weekend so forgive me and enjoy.

Last night, I attended the first Uptown parade, the Krewe of Oshun, named for the Yoruba goddess of love and intimacy. I stood next to a mother and her 2 small girls. I never raised my hands, never yelled, “Throw me somethin’, mista,” and yet I came home covered in beads. Many were gifts from the girls as I was helping them grab toys and candies that were thrown from the floats.