Category Archives: 2016 Carnival

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Make House Into a Mardi Gras Float by Levy Easterly – GoFundMe

This house is the single best “costumed”place in the city, every year. Be a part of the fun and help Levy out. If you do, when you go take that picture in front of their house that everyone does, you can say, “I helped!” when you post it to your Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter accounts…

Source: Make House Into a Mardi Gras Float by Levy Easterly – GoFundMe

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Joyeux Anniversaire, Jeanne d’Arc!

Celebrating St. Joan of Arc’s birthday and Twelfth Night, this annual  walking parade is a medieval-themed theatrical procession, inspired by Joan’s time in 1400s France.  Joan of Arc liberated the citizens of Orleans, France, from a British siege in her first victory in 1429—resulting in her moniker “The Maid of Orleans.” Our parade honors our own unofficial patron saint, The Maid of New Orleans: the beloved  golden French Quarter statue, a gift to the City of New Orleans from France in the 1950s, and our French history and heritage. It’s a short, family-friendly parade — quirky, whimsical and spiritual. Follow us through the French Quarter with one of Joan’s birthday candles, handed out to parade goers in honor of Joan’s 604th birthday.

route-map-copy-283x300The parade typically starts on time at 7 sharp and makes 3 pauses for a bit of medieval pageantry:

  • toasts from the Historic New Orleans Collection and Grégor Trumel, Consul General of France in New Orleans, from the Williams Research Center balcony at 400 Chartres
  • a sword blessing at Saint Louis Cathedral by The Very Reverend Father Philip Landry
  • the crowning of the king and king cake ceremony at the end at Washington Artillery Park.  Bring your own king cake to eat your first king cake along with the king and Joan.

Parking and Restrooms

  • Suggested best parking: Jax parking lot (map). Take the stress out of parking by paying in advance online at the location’s website, www.premiumparking.com/P401

  • Public restrooms will be open in the Jax Brewery shopping mall before and during the parade.

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2016 Sugar Bowl and Carnival kickoff, all in one week

I guess for most people, the holidays in December are where its at for events, get togethers and visitors, but for us New Orleanians – and esp Quarterites – nothing is quite like January.

First up, is New Year’s Eve  with its own rites with fireworks and gumbo pot drop at the river. We also host the Sugar Bowl every year on January 1 at the Superdome. This year, the city decided to add a parade on New Year’s Eve Day…

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In 2016, Ole Miss and Oklahoma State are coming, which means that vehicles and entire families or groups are more likely than some of last year’s crowd, which came from Alabama and Ohio if memory serves. I am sure that the Alabamans drove but I’d guess that few Buckeyes did. When the teams are from nearby, the spending is different, as is the vibe: Folks arrive in town later, bring more of their own food and drink and head out after the game if they lose. I hope someone, besides the disliked Allstate insurance company that did their best to make profit off Katrina, makes some coin off this stuff.

Since  many Ole Miss folks are New Orleans-savvy, they’ll be more likely to know the good places to eat and go (I’d look for the red and blue/Hotty Toddy paraphernalia and go where they are going…) I’d guess that Oklahoma folks will be new to the area, so I’d expect to see lots of orange and black map-wielding groups on the corners!

Welcome to all.

So, here is the schedule on Decatur:

Wednesday, Dec. 30

  • Usher Concert – 6:15 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 31

  • Oklahoma State Pep Rally – 1:30 p.m.
  • New Year’s Eve Parade – 3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m.
  • Ole Miss Pep Rally – 5:15 p.m.

The Allstate® Fan Fest is free to the public and open from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 30, and 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 31. Fan Fest is located at Jackson Square in the Jax Brewery parking lot off Decatur Street.

 

THEN, Carnival season begins on January 6 with the glorious Joan of Arc parade on Chartres, and Phunny Phorty Phellows on the St. Charles Streetcar route which will come all the way to Canal again. That is, of course, followed by over a month of visitors and parades in our neighborhood for the 2016 carnival season, which ends on February 9 of this year.