Endymion Parade from the Bleachers

Endymion, a super krewe, delivered a new topper to an already dazzling parade – a 9 car float honoring Pontchartrain Beach, a long-gone beach and amusement park where many locals spent their childhoods and even Elvis played a concert. I’ve attended the parade on Canal St. (only for tourists and the truly daring), on St. Charles when rain rescheduled it (which was more mellow), inside the Morial Convention Center when I attended the Endymion Ball (which rocked – catching beads in ball-gowns and tuxedoes!) and this year, for the first time, we watched from the bleachers near City Hall.

Krewe of Mid-City

The Krewe of Mid-City, founded in 1933, is the 5th oldest continuously parading krewe of the Carnival season. They live by the motto, “Pour La Joie de Vivre” or “For the Joy of Life.” Unlike the more morose krewes with skeletons or the satirical krewes with their stabs at politics and culture, Mid-City is symbolized by an interlocking heart emblem and strives to delight children and the child in us. And unlike the other krewes with their papier maché floats, Mid-City makes their floats of shiny tinfoil and mylar.

Mystic Krewe of Hermes

The Mystic Krewe of Hermes was the first of 3 parades to roll Uptown on the Friday before Fat Tuesday. They have  been parading longer than any other krewe that parades at night. Founded in 1937 by some businessmen who decided the best remedy for dealing with the post- Great Depression woe was to expand Mardi Gras to a 5 day party, the krewe now has almost 650 members.

Krewe of Muses (AKA Ladies Night)

The Krewe of Muses, an all-female krewe, began parading in 2000. Like the 9 streets between Felicity and Howard Ave., the krewe is named for the 9 daughters of the Greek God, Zeus. Their over 1100 members are the only female krewe that parades at night and the women of the city get into the spirit donning wigs and tutus to join in the feminine festivity.