Mardi Gras must be experienced first hand...balls, beads, costumes, doubloons, parades, and the biggest free party this side of the equator.
"Mardi Gras is steeped in tradition and has been celebrated in Europe since the Middle Ages - New Orleans’ celebration of Mardi Gras was brought over from France. Mardi Gras was first celebrated in Mobile, Alabama in 1703.
Originally, Carnival was created as a period of merriment prior to Lent. The City of New Orleans transformed this centuries-old tradition into 'America’s Greatest Party'. Mardi Gras in New Orleans is unlike any other celebration in the world. Every year, New Orleans hosts many parades. Each parade is organized by a separate organization called a "Krewe" – the Krewe is in charge of every aspect of their parade. A typical Mardi Gras parade is made up of many components: the Captain (the leader of the organization), the King and Queen, float riders, marching bands, horse units, drill teams, guest celebrities and other attractions.
The parade travels through the streets of New Orleans led by the Captain and ruled by the King and Queen. Following behind the Captain and the King and Queen are floats full of riders tossing beads and cups (called “throws”) to thousands of people shouting, "Throw Me Something Mister!"
Mardi Gras History excerpts from Krewe of Pontchartrain site.
2011 Mardi Gras Parade Schedule
TURSDAY, JANUARY 6
Phunny Phorty Phellows
Uptown 7 p.m.
The Phunny Phorty Phellows Herald
the Arrival of Mardi Gras!
Krewe Website: www.phunnyphortyphellows.com
Starts and ends at Willow Street Car Barn
Follows the Street Car Line from Carrollton to Lee Circle to Canal Street and back.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18
Krewe of Brid
Lakeview 7 p.m.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19
Krewe du Vieux
French Quarter
6:30 p.m.
Krewe Delusion
French Quarter
7:15 p.m.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25
Krewe of Cork
French Quarter
3 p.m.
Krewe of Oshun
Uptown New Orleans
6 p.m.
Year Founded: 1997
Starts near Magazine at Napoleon and goes up St. Charles to Canal and ends just past Canal
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26
Krewe of Pontchartrain
Uptown
February 26
2 p.m.
Membership Size: 200
Year Founded: 1976
Krewe Website: www.kofpont.com
Starts at Tchoupitoulas and Napoleon goes up St. Charles to Canal Street where it ends.
Looking to ride in a parade: Join the Krewe of Pontchartrain and take a ride on a float in a real New Orleans Mardi Gras parade! For $660 per person, you get a pre-parade breakfast on the morning of the parade, a costume and throws for the parade (long beads and cups), and an after-parade party at Tipitina's in the French Quarter.
Knights of Sparta
Uptown
6 p.m.
Membership Size: 300
King 2011: Secret Until Parade Day
Year Founded: 1951
Float Designer: Phil Fricano
Krewe Website: www.knightsofsparta.com
A spectacular signature float, a mule-drawn king’s float, traditional flambeaux, and mounted officers are just a few of the wonderful features of the Knights of Sparta street parade each year.
Krewe of Pygmalion
Uptown
6:45 p.m.
Float Designer: Rizzuto & Company, Inc.
Krewe Website: www.kreweofpygmalion.org
The Krewe of Pygmalion is a New Orleans Carnival Club founded in 2000 by a group of Carnival veterans who wanted to provide a high-quality parade for the first week of the Mardi Gras Season. The Krewe of Pygmalion consists of male and female riders.
If you want to ride in a very affordable, high-quality parade, contact the Krewe of Pygmalion.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27
Krewe of Carrollton
Uptown
Noon
Membership Size: over 350
Year Founded: 1924
Krewe Website: www.kreweofcarrollton.com
The Krewe of Carrollton was founded by a group of local businessmen in 1924, parading on Mardi Gras Day in the neighborhood of Carrollton. In 1933, when rain forced the cancellation of most of parades, including Rex, Carrollton presented the only daytime parade of the season. Following a fire in its den in 1941, and World War II, during which there was no Mardi Gras celebration, the men of Carrollton reorganized. Carrollton is the fourth oldest parading krewe. One of the city's most popular parades, Carrollton starts the traditional parade season on the second Sunday before Mardi Gras.
Krewe of King Arthur
Uptown
1:15 p.m.
Year Founded: 1977
Membership: over 350
Krewe Website: www.kreweofkingarthur.com
Mystic Krewe of Barkus
French Quarter
2 p.m.
Year Founded: 1993
Krewe Website: www.barkus.org
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2
Mystic Krewe of Druids
Uptown
6:30 p.m.
THURSDAY, MARCH 3
Knights of Babylon
Uptown
5:45 p.m.
Year Founded: 1939
Krewe Website: www.knightsofbabylon.com
Knights of Chaos
Uptown
6:30 p.m.
Year Founded: 2000
Float Designer: Royal Artists
Knights of Chaos uses the old Knights of Momus Floats
Krewe of Muses
Uptown
6:30 p.m.
Membership: over 1,100
Year Founded: 2000
Krewe Website: www.kreweofmuses.org
Muses is an all-female Krewe which has put on award-winning displays since beginning in 2000. Throws are of a definite feminine nature and include mirrors, shoes, combs, purses and other fun “girlie” goodies.
The Muses are the Greek goddesses who presided over the arts and sciences. They were believed to inspire artists, especially poets, philosophers and musicians. "To the people of New Orleans Muses are street names, often mispronounced. In Greek mythology the nine Muses were the daughters of Zeus, king of the gods, and Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory.
Ultimately there become nine muses: Calliope, Clio, Erato, Euterpe, Melpomene, Polyhymnia, Terpsichore, Thalia, and Urania.
FRIDAY, MARCH 4
Divine Protectors of Endangered Pleasure or DIVA
French Quarter
1:30 p.m.
Knights of Hermes
Uptown
6 p.m.
Year Founded: 1937
Krewe Website: www.semrehclub.org
In the 1930’s, when America was still reeling from the effects of the Great Depression, a group of New Orleans businessmen met and devised a solution to the widespread woe that only New Orleanians could: To have a party. Or more specifically, to expand the party that was Mardi Gras. They would throw a parade on Friday night ,making Carnival a longer, five-day celebration.
Hermes is also known for an unusual and longtime tradition, the Walking Parade, held Friday in the French Quarter. After lunch with friends and fellow flo spill from various restaurants and gather on Royal and St. Louis Streets. High school marching bands lead the procession through the Quarter on its way to dress for the night parade.
Le Krewe D'Etat
Uptown
6 p.m.
Year Founded: 1996
Krewe Website: www.lekrewedetat.com
Krewe of Morpheus
Uptown
7 p.m.
SATURDAY, MARCH 5
Krewe of Iris
Uptown
11 a.m.
Membership: over 900
Year Founded: 1922
First Parade: 1959
Starts on Napoleon goes down St. Charles to University and Canal and ends at Convention Center Boulevard.
Krewe of Tucks
Uptown
Noon
Year Founded: 1969
Krewe Website: www.kreweoftucks.com
Founded in 1969, the Krewe of Tucks is an irreverent band which began as a rag-tag group of Loyola University students. The name is taken from "Friar Tuck," a defunct uptown pub where the students decided to create their own Carnival Krewe. From a small nighttime parade of pick-up trucks, the Krewe of Tucks has grown in size to floats.
Starts at Magazine and Napoleon goes down St. Charles to University and Canal, ends near the Marriott Hotel with Tucks' Extravaganza.
The Ducks of Dixieland march in the Krewe of Tucks as a marching group parade each year.
Krewe of Endymion–Super-Krewe Parades
Mid-City/Uptown
4:15 p.m.
"Token of Youth" and "Throw 'Til It Hurts!"
Year Founded: 1967
Membership Size: over 2,500
Theme: Endymion's American Masters Krewe
Website: www.endymion.org
Founded in 1967 and named for the Olympian God of Fertility and Eternal Youth, this Krewe is the largest in Mardi Gras history, rising to "Super Krewe" status in 1974. Billing itself as "the largest non-military parade in the world," it annually selects celebrity Grand Marshals who also preside over the Endymion Extravaganza immediately following the Parade.
Revised version of it's traditional Mid-City route: Starts at City Park Avenue goes to Orleans and Carrollton to Canal Street. From Canal to St. Charles then Julia and Tchoupitoulas. Turns on St. Joseph and ends on Convention Center Blvd. at the Convention Center.
The Krewe of Endymion's Extravaganza is the Super Krewe's fabulous post Parade Party. Usually held in the Louisiana Superdome, the 2011 Extavaganza will move to the New Orleans Convention Center since the Superdome will be closed for renovations.
The annual Samedi Gras party comes to life on Orleans Avenue at noon in Mid-City, New Orleans and will feature area favorites, such as the Bucktown All Stars, the Topcats, and Rockin’ Dopsie! Traditionally, Endymion introduces their celebrity Grand Marshall and special guests at this festive and FREE event
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