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.

Krewes of Hermes & d’Etat Parades 2020

The Mystic Krewe of Hermes is the oldest of 3 parades that roll Friday night. Because of weather rescheduling, we’d already watched 2 parades – Muses and Babylon – without bands and dancing groups to keep things moving quickly. Though we have 5-parade days on weekends, we don’t normally start have to start them after school lets out. Hermes blanketed the crowd in blinkies, including their popular glowing wing headpieces. My favorite moment was when Saints legend Steve Gleason rolled past covered in glow tubes – but he was too quick for my camera.

The riders of  Le Krewe d’Etat threw a satirical spotlight on everything from Jeffrey Epstein to A.O.C.

Krewes of Druids and Nyx Parades 2020

Wednesday starts 7 straight days of parades ending with Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras). Things used to get off to a quiet start with just the Krewe of Ancient Druids rolling, and mostly locals sparsely dotting St. Charles. Once the all-female Super Krewe of Nyx  joined the lineup in 2012, the crowds have gotten thicker by the year. Whereas Druids is a smaller krewe with less than 200 members, the Krewe of Nyx boasts thousands of members in over 40 floats – all with treasured hand-made glittery purses to give to a lucky few along with the tons of beads and female-friendly throws.

Parades! Oshun, Cleopatra & Alla

New Orleans has been celebrating Carnival since January 6th. Even if you didn’t attend the Joan of Arc Parade or wait to see the Phunny Phorty Phellows streetcar pass on St. Charles, the 6th was the day we could all officially eat King Cake. Every day. The parades begin 2 weeks earlier now but the Uptown parades are the official kick-off of parade season with the Krewes of Oshun, Cleopatra and Alla rolling.

Festigals Step Up Parade

The Festigals Step Up Parade is the city’s largest women’s second-line parade. The parade is part of the Festigals weekend gathering of women creating opportunities for networking, education, fundraising and, of course,  New Orleanian fun. A fundraising event, this year’s stroll raised thousands for the New Orleans Area American Heart Association.

Festigals was my first parade as a Pussyfooter 7 years ago

Pride Parade

After the food and music of the Creole Tomato Fest and the fun spectacle of the Naked Bike Parade, we were ready for the festive and fabulous Pride Parade. Every year, the parade grows adding more dancers, floats and sponsors like Walgreen’s, Cox, Lyft, and Absolut. Bounce legend Big Freedia joined the LGBTQ groups, community organizations, churches and more rolling through the French Quarter.

Krewes of Hermes and d’Etat Parades

Mystic Krewe of Hermes is the first of 3 parades that roll Friday night – and the Krewe that’s been rolling longest that night. In 1937, nearly a decade into the Great Depression, some local businessmen thought the best antidote for the blues was to expand Mardi Gras to a 5 day party. Judging from the size of the crowds, we still agree.

The satirical Le Krewe d’Etat’s motto is “Vivite ut Vehatis. Vehite ut Vevatis,” which mostly means, “Live to Ride. Ride to Live.” Rolling since 1998, the beautiful and irreverent floats by The Royal Artists feature skeletons as do their beads and throws. This year’s floats put a spotlight on everything from Mueller to millennials.

Krewes of Druids and Nyx Parades!

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.

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.

Festigals Parade

Festigals is a weekend gathering of women for networking, education, fundraising and New Orleanian fun. Their STEP UP to stop domestic violence parade (formerly the Stiletto Stroll) is the city’s largest women’s second-line parade. Festigals was my first parade as a Pussyfooter