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 →
Filed under Culture, decorations and costumes, festival, free events and lagniappe, parade
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
I’m so excited to announce that LAtoNOLA now has 500 Subscribers! I’ve never really pushed for subscribers so I’m thrilled to reach such a milestone. Thank you to my longtime followers like Danica in L.A., Angela in the UK and Mike M. in New Orleans as well as newer subscribers like Emmanuel in Nigeria, Aditya and Rishika in India and Misty in New Orleans. I’ve only blogged 4 times since Fat Tuesday ended New Orleans’ Carnival season and COVID-19 began reshaping our lifestyle. For over a decade, this blog has been a way to share our city’s deeply-rooted and fascinating culture. Sadly, the virus has shuttered our bars and silenced most of our musicians. Many restaurants are take-out only if they’re open at all. Festivals and concerts are cancelled. There hasn’t been much culture to blog about.
This weekend would have been Southern Decadence – when the LGBTQ community overtakes the French Quarter from Wednesday through the end of Labor Day filling the streets with revelry, costumes and parades. Parts of the Quarter are actually fairly busy this weekend. Masked tourists wander in and out of shops. The long line has returned in front of Cafe du Monde where people eat powdered-sugar-covered beignets at socially distanced tables in the shaded outdoor dining area. Continue reading →
Filed under Carnival, Culture, decorations and costumes, free events and lagniappe, Mardi Gras 2020, parade
Tagged as #MaskUp, #MaskUpNOLA, carnival, corona virus, Coronavirus, covid 19, fat tuesday, french quarter, Labor Day, latonola, LGBT, LGBTQ, mardi gras, music, new orleans, pandemic, parade, Pussyfooters, shut down, social distance, Southern Decadence, Southern Decadence 2019
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
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 →
Filed under Culture, decorations and costumes, free events and lagniappe, parade
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
Southern Decadence is a 5-day weekend of costumes, parties and parades celebrating the LGBT community that attracts over 200,000 people and creates a nearly $200 million economic impact. The Sunday parade had remarkably good weather, upper 80’s and sunny. Drag queens, dance troupes, pride groups and other revelers took to the streets in costumes accented with this year’s signature neon colors. Continue reading →
Filed under Culture, decorations and costumes, free events and lagniappe, parade
Tagged as AUX, AUX Colors in Motion, Big Easy Rollergirls, Black Storyville Baby Dolls, dancingman504, Disco Amigos, Dodwell House Community Center, El Lucha Krewe, Flaming Flagets, french quarter, Krewe of Goddesses, Krewe of PUEWC, Krewe of sPANk, Krewe of the Rolling Elvi, latonola, LGBT, LGBTQ, Lords of Leather, Mermoux, Merry Antoinettes, Muff-A-Lottas, Mystic Krewe of PUEWC, Mystic Krewe of The Lords of Leather, new orleans, Organ Grinders, Pair-A-Dice Tumblers, parade, Pussyfooters, Rolling Elvi, Southern Decadence
Southern Decadence is a 5-day weekend of costumes, parties and parades celebrating the LGBT community. The events attract over 150,000 people and create a nearly $200 million economic impact. The Sunday parade is always the highlight for me. Drag queens, dance troupes, pride groups and other revelers worked with the “Decadence Takes The World” theme in costumes accented with red, white, blue and purple.
Filed under Charity, Culture, decorations and costumes, free events and lagniappe, parade
Tagged as AUX, Bearded Oysters, Black Storyville Baby Dolls, Camel Toe Lady Steppers, Chris Morrison, dancingman504, Disco Amigos, El Lucha Krewe, Felicia Phillips, Flaming Flagetts, french quarter, Grand Marshal, High Quality Dancers, Jennifer Jones, krewe, Krewe of Goddesses, Krewe of the Rolling Elvi, latonola, LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana, Mermoux, Muff-A-Lottas, Mystic Krewe of P.U.E.W.C., Mystic Krewe of The Lords of Leather, new orleans, New Orleans Advocates GLBT Elders, New Orleans Gay Men’s Chorus, NOAGE, Nola Showgirls, Organ Grinders, Pair-A-Dice Tumblers, parade, Purple Pirates of Decadence, Pussyfooters, Roux La La, second line, Sexy Cajun Navy, Sirens, Southern Decadence, Star Steppin' Cosmonaughties, The Big Easy Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
A 5-day weekend of costumes, parties and parades celebrating the LGBT community, Southern Decadence brings over 150,000 people and a nearly $200 million economic impact. We caught the tail of the rerouted Friday night parade but were there in plenty of time for the 41st Southern Decadence Sunday parade, an exuberant procession of dance troupes and pride groups in festive and fabulous costumes. This years theme of “Swimmin’ with the Gods and Goddesses!” was punctuated with lavender, lime and silver.
Filed under Charity, Culture, decorations and costumes, festival, free events and lagniappe, Local Cuisine, parade
Tagged as Babydolls, Bearded Oysters, Camel Toe Lady Steppers, Cherry Bombs, CosmoNaughties, dancingman504, Disco Amigos, Get our history out of the closet, Jennifer Jones, krewe, Krewe of P.U.E.W.C., Krewe of Rolling Elvi, latonola, LGBT + Archives Project of Lousiana, Lords of Leather, Louisiana Equality Foundation, Lucky Pierre's, Muff-A-Lottas, music, Mystic Krewe Lords of Leather, Mystic Krewe of P.U.E.W.C., new orleans, NOLA Cherry Bombs, Organ Grinders, Pair-A-Dice Tumblers, parade, Pussyfooters, Restaurant, Rolling Elvi, Roux La La, Southern Decadence, Star Steppin' Cosmonaughties, Winks, Winks Bakery
Southern Decadence is a 5-day weekend of costumes, revelry and parades celebrating the LGBT community that brings over 150,000 people and a nearly $200 million economic impact. Decadence started at a party of friends and roommates throwing a going-away party for a friend in 1972 in their inauspicious Treme home nicknamed Belle Reve after the Mississippi plantation Blanche DuBois’ refers to in A Streetcar Named Desire so the roommates (including gays, straights, blacks and whites) made the send-off a costume party with the theme of coming as your favorite “Southern Decadent.” They chose the Sunday before Labor Day to give themselves a day of recovery afterward then repeated the party the following year with an informal parade. Over 40 years later, the all-inclusive party is bigger and more decadent than ever. Continue reading →
Filed under Charity, Culture, decorations and costumes, free events and lagniappe, history, parade
Tagged as Ashley the Traffic Tranny, Aubrey Synclaire, Chad Boutte, Cherry Bombs, dancingman504, Disco Amigos, floats, french quarter, gay, Jennifer Jones, Krewe de Amis, Krewe of Kolossos, Krewe of the Rolling Elvi, Labor Day, latonola, LGBT, LGBT Community Center of New Orleans, Lords of Leather, marching band, music, Mystic Krewe Lords of Leather, new orleans, NO/AIDS Walk, NOLA Cherry Bombs, Organ Grinders, Pair-A-Dice Tumblers, parade, PFLAG New Orleans, Psychedelic Wigglers, Pussyfooters, Reba Dougla, Richard Simmons, Richard Simmons Rampage, Roux La La, Southern Decadence, traffic tranny, Under the Big Top
The categories are: Food & Beverage, Music & Entertainment, Culture, Shopping and Giving & More.
Anything named previously in my Favorite Things in NOLA 2012 is marked with an Asterix*. Most items have links to their site, but if you’d like to know more, use the search window on the right to find photos, videos, history and stories.
This year, I’ve added a gallery of photos. The first photos are of items listed and the last half are of stuff I love in New Orleans from Creole tomatoes to Ashley the Traffic Tranny.
I’m also revealing Your Favorite Posts of 2013.
2 – Street Musicians – Tanya and Dorise
1 – Endymion Extravaganza – My First Ball! – which is also your favorite post of all time. Continue reading →
Filed under Carnival, Charity, Concerts, Culture, decorations and costumes, entertainment industry, festival, free events and lagniappe, history, Local Cuisine, Mardi Gras 2013, parade, shopping, the Saints
Tagged as 12 Years a Slave, 2013, 610 stompers, Abita Grapefruit, acting, American Horror Story: Coven, Angelo Brocato, armstrong park, Ashley the Traffic Tranny, Beverage, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Big Freedia, black and gold, Bon Castor, Bounce, Bourbon French Parfums, Brandy Milk Punch, Brennan's, Butcher, cafe du monde, Cafe Pontalba, ChadQuentin, Chaz Fest, Class Got Brass, Claudia Speicher, Commander's Palace, concert, Coop’s Place, Crescent City Comics, Croissant D'Or, culture, d' Juice, Dallas Buyers’ Club, dancingman504, d’ Juice Whole Fruit Smoothies and Fresh Juices, District, District Donuts Sliders Brew, Django Unchained, Dreamy Weenies, Entertainment, Favorite Things, FiFi Mahoney's, Fleur de Paris, Fleurty Girl, food, Food Drunk, Forever New Orleans, Frank Aymami III, french quarter, French Quarter Fest, Galatoire's Bistro, Garden District Book Shop, George Rodrigue, Giving, Glen David Andrews, Goorin Bros., Got Gumbo?, Greg's Antiques, Guinness World Record, Harvest the Music, HBO, James Beard, James Demaria, Jazz Henry, Jazz in the Park, Jeffrey Dupuis, Jennifer Jones, Jerry Moran, Jim Hart, Joe Dunn, John Besh, K Paul's, Kaia Martin-Paternoster, Know Small Parts, Kosher, Krewe of Muses, la divina, latonola, Laura Cayouette, Lee Daniel's The Butler, Lisa Iacono, Loretta's, M.S. Rau Antiques, Mahalia Jackson Theater, Marc Pagani, Mardi Gras Indians, Mardi Gras World, Maskarade, Meltdown Gourmet Popsicles, Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Million Mrs. Roper March, Mr. Okra, Mud, music, Mystic Krewe of Barkus, New Breed Brass Band, new orleans, NOLA, Nola Sewn, Now You See Me, On the Other Hand, parade, Petite Amelie, Phat Word, Photo Works, Ponchatoula strawberries, Pussyfooters, Raintree, Raintree Children and Family Services, Red Bull Street Kings, Red Dress Run, Restaurant, Restaurant August, Rob Ryan, roots of music, Rouses, Royal Sonesta, Saenger Theatre, Saints, second harvest, second line, shopping, snowizard, southern candymakers, Southern Decadence, Stephán Wanger, Steve Gleason, streetcar, Surrey’s Cafe and Juice Bar, Susan Spicer, sweet olive, Tanya and Dorise, The Singing Oak, The Voluptuous Vixen, This is the End, Tory McPhail, traffic tranny, Trashy Diva, treme, trombone shorty, Tujague's, United Way, Uptown Costume & Dancewear, Vegan, Vieux Carré Pizza, Wednesday at the Square, who dat, Willie Mae's Scotch House, Willow Haley, WWOZ, Young Leadership Council
The boys are back! This was New Orleans’ most profitable Southern Decadence yet with at least 125,000 people spending $100 million at local clubs, hotels, restaurants and shops. Last year, we were still recovering from Isaac and there was a tropical storm the year before drenching the festivities. This year it was sunny and warm, perfect for a giant scantily-clad 5 day party. The French Quarter decorated with rainbows and LGBT imagery and hosted contests for things like best costume and largest penis (no, I didn’t attend). Continue reading →
Filed under Charity, Culture, decorations and costumes, free events and lagniappe, parade
Tagged as Big Easy Sisters, Carnival Kings, Castro Lube, drag, Dykeadence, french quarter, gay, Good Friends, Grrl Spot, Lambda Law Alliance, latonola, LGBT, Loyola, Loyola Lambda Law Alliance, Million Mrs. Roper March, new orleans, New Orleans Radical Faeries, parade, Pussyfooters, Roux La La, Southern Decadence, Super Heroes of Drag, Tami Tarmac, Venus Santiago, Voodoo Bone Lady, YES Girls
L.A. to N.O.LA