Category Archives: holidays

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Southern Decadence 2016 Parades

These routes are still tentative as of the time of this post. Check the website if, for some reason, you are in need of up-to-the-minute information.

There are two official Southern Decadence parades for 2016.

The FRIDAY NIGHT parade is a float parade through the streets
of the French Quarter presented by Toby LeFort and the Knights of Decadence.
The parade formation time is 6:15 P.M.
The parade starting time is 7:30 P.M.
 
HERE IS THE OFFICIAL PARADE ROUTE
OF THE FRIDAY NIGHT PARADE:

SD-Parade-Route-Friday16

The SUNDAY AFTERNOON parade is the traditional Southern Decadence
Grand Marshal Parade.  It is a walking parade with no motorized vehicles
except for one truck at the front of the parade that will carry the sound system
for the Southern Decadence Grand Marshals’ entourage.
The parade formation time is 1:00 P.M.
The parade starting time is 2:00 P.M.

HERE IS THE OFFICIAL PARADE ROUTE
OF THE SUNDAY AFTERNOON PARADE:

SD-Parade-Route-Sunday16

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Easter Parades French Quarter 2016

17th Gay Easter Parade benefiting Food For Friends, Easter Sunday, March 27th, Pre-Parade Party & Parade Participants Check-in 3-4pm @ GrandPre’s, 834 N. Rampart Street. (Pick up your Parade Ticket at this time for placement in parade. You will not be allowed to join parade without entry ticket.) (www.GayEasterParade.com)

Line-Up on North Rampart (Armstrong Park side)
The parade begins @ 4:30pm starting @ Armstrong Arch, left on St. Ann, left on Bourbon, right on Esplanade, right on Royal, right on St. Louis, right on Burgundy, left on Dumaine ending at N. Rampart, with Post-Parade Party at GrandPre’s, 834 N. Rampart @ 6pm.

 

Parades

Easter Sunday’s lineup of parades starts early that morning with The Historic French Quarter Easter Parade from Antoine’s Restaurant at 9:45 a.m. to St. Louis Cathedral for 11:00 a.m. Mass. The parade, consisting largely of mule-drawn carriages and old convertibles, makes its leisurely, roundabout way through the French Quarter, handing out stuffed Easter bunnies to the kids, along with other trinkets.

Following Mass, participants in the parade promenade to Jackson Square opposite the Cathedral to show off their Easter bonnets and other finery before returning to Antoine’s. Awards are given out for the best Easter bonnets, Easter baskets and overall Easter attire.

Later, around 1:00 p.m. is the Chris Owens French Quarter Easter Parade. This tradition, which began back in the early 1980s, features renowned French Quarter singer, dancer and all-around entertainer Chris Owens as the Grand Duchess. She stands proudly on her gaily decorated float, assisted by elegantly attired attendants while decked out in one of her stunning, tight-fitting outfits.

The parade starts at the corner of Canal and Bourbon streets and makes its way through the French Quarter, past the Chris Owens Club at 500 Bourbon, with colorful floats and vintage convertibles and accompanied by one or more of the city’s famous brass bands. Plus dance groups and other entertainers. And, of course, since this is a New Orleans parade, there will be plenty of throws – Easter-themed – to catch from the floats and the open-top cars. This parade is a sight you’ll never forget!

There is also an annual Easter Bonnet Contest at Good Friends Bar, a GLBT neighborhood bar at the corner of Dauphine and St. Ann streets in the French Quarter. Anyone can join in and some of the bonnet entries can get pretty outlandish. The crowd votes for the winners, and you can almost certainly expect to hear impromptu renditions of Irving Berlin’s classic song for the occasion, “Easter Parade.” For information call (504) 566-7191.

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French Market St. Joseph’s Day Altar activities

On Saturday (March 19), visitors to the French Market on North Peters Street in the French Quarter can stop by a St. Joseph’s Altar and learn more about the feast day and tradition. Along with viewing the altar, visitors can learn about New Orleans Sicilian heritage, listen to music and watch performances.

Here is a lineup of the day’s events:

    • 10:30 a.m. – Rosanna Giacona, a Beauregard-Keyes Historic House tour guide, will talk about her Sicilian heritage, and the Sicilian heritage of New Orleans.
    • 11-12:15 p.m. – Oompah D’Italia will feature Julie Council playing traditional Italian music.
    • 12:30 p.m. – During, “St. Joseph’s Day Altars – Then and Now,” attendees can listen to Liz Williams director of the Southern Food and Beverage Museum talk about the history of the altars.

N.O. St. Joseph Day altars pop up in the oddest places

N.O. St. Joseph Day altars pop up in the oddest places

On March 19, the faithful and the curious go on pilgrimages, visiting altars at homes, churches and Catholic schools. Some of those pilgrimages, however, will bring folks to decidedly nontraditional sites.

  • 1 p.m. – “Sicilian Roots at the French Market,” will feature a conversation with the Portera Sisters, who built the markets altar.
  • 2-3:30 p.m. – Palermo Import/Export Band will perform.
  • 3-3:30 p.m. – The Muff-a-Lottas will perform.
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A Musical Prelude To The Celebration of Easter

A Musical Prelude To The Celebration of Easter

Thursday, February 11, 2016

St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 1116 Chartres St., New Orleans, Louisiana

Presented by:The Bishop Perry Center, The Rev. William F. Maestri, Director The Cathedral – Basilica of St. Louis King of France and The Archdiocese of New OrleansIn Concert and sponsors

Starring:

Valerie Francis, Soprano, with Troy Poplous and Richard Hobson, Baritones, and Wilfred Delphin, Pianist

Directed By: Dr. Kenneth S. Klaus Gloria B. Callais Endowed Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities, Nicholls State University

In a Salute to Leontyne Price

La Vergine degli’angeli (La Forza del Destino) Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)  Valerie Francis Priest’s ChorusTroy Poplous, Timothy Ray, Roland Bennett, Melvin Harrison, James Rodrigue, Myron Hartford, Mark Thomas,and The Sinfonia Singers of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity for Men in Music, Nicholls State University.

Vissi d’arte (Tosca) Giacomo Puccini (1858~1924) Tosca begs Scarpia to save her lover’s life.Valerie Francis

Per me giunto e il di supremo (Don Carlo) VerdiPosa visits Carlo in prison to tell him that he is a marked man because he has used the secret papers to take upon himself the blame for the Flemish rebellion. Posa is shot and dying, he tells Carlo he is happy to have sacrificed his life for a man who will become Spain’s savior. Richard Hobson

O patria mia (Aida) VerdiCiel! mio padre! On the eve of Amneris’s wedding, Ramfis and Amneris enter a temple on the banks of the Nile to pray. Aida, who is waiting for Radamès, is lost in thoughts of her homeland. Amonasro suddenly appears. Invoking Aida’s sense of duty, he makes her agree to find out from Radamès which route the Egyptian army will take to invade Ethiopia. Amonasro hides as Radamès arrives and assures Aida of his love. Valerie Francis, Richard Hobson

Summertime and Bess you is my woman now (Porgy and Bess) George Gershwin (1898-1937)Clara sings a lullaby to her child…All leave except Bess and Sporting Life, who asks her again to come to New York with him and tries to give her more dope, which she refuses. Porgy chases him away and he and Bess sing about their new happiness. Valerie Francis, Troy R. Poplous

INTERMISSION

In the Beginning God Duke Ellington (1899-1974) Richard Hobson

For the Love of Jesus Roger D. Dickerson (1934-)

The Crucifixion Arranged by Ellis Marsalis (1934-)

Calvary Betty Jackson King (1928-1994)

Toccata – Ride on King JesusJohn D. Carter (1932~1981) (Cantata)

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2015 St. Louis Cathedral Holiday Concerts

For more information about the St. Louis Cathedral Holiday Concerts call 504-522-5730 or go to www.fqfi.org.

– See more at: https://holiday.neworleansonline.com/traditions/st-louis-cathedral-concert-holiday-series/#sthash.dfLq8gnK.dpuf

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A Musical Prelude To The Celebration Of Easter

The Bishop Perry Center Presents Six Free Concerts,
Thursdays During Lent, February 19 – March 26, 6 p. m.
St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 1116 Chartres Street.

Bishop Perry Center’s second annual Musical Prelude to the Celebration of Easter. The artists performing: pianists Dr. E. Quinn Peeper and Michael Harold with tenor Casey Candebat, who placed in the recent Metropolitan Opera regional competition. The pianists will perform some pieces arranged for four hands, as well as performing solo. The popular duo are active in the New Orleans Opera Association, the English Speaking Union, the Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Society and numerous other cultural organizations of the city. Candebat is receiving rave reviews by critics for such journals as the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco
Chronical, and the Times-Picayune.

The third concert on March 5 will feature the enormously talented trio known as the Honey Truffles, three beautiful blondes who harmonize in the style of the Andrews Sisters and sing both pop, such as “The Boggie Woogie Bugle Boy,” and spiritual music. The fourth concert will star Sarah Jane McMahon, well known opera singer, who will don her torch singer persona for a performance with pianist Jessie Reeks. The fifth concert’s star will be Tom Sancton with his traditional jazz band. And the final concert will feature gospel music led by pianist Lawrence Sieberth with singers Phillip Manuel and Yolanda Robertson. And that last concert will have a surprise finale.

The Bishop Perry Center is an outreach mission for the disadvantaged and cultural center for downtown New Orleans, created by the Archdiocese of New Orleans. The Center, offers free spiritual, food, clothing, medical, educational, and legal services to all in need, regardless of religious affiliation. The concerts are free. Donations to the Bishop Perry Center are most appreciated.

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Welcome Carnival 2015

Today we begin OUR holiday season-Carnival. It starts today with the celebration of the Feast of the Epiphany and Joan of Arc’s birthday and ends on Fat Tuesday aka Mardi Gras, the day before Ash Wednesday (Lent). I will celebrate with the first slice of king cake and maybe seeing two parades in this first Carnival day. Phunny Phorty Phellows-A little nonsense now and then is relished by the best of men! truly kicks off the season with their streetcar parade and then the Joan of Arc parade really shows what we do best with their walking (trotting?) French Quarter celebration. Not only is it great to be able to hit 2 parades (one within an easy bike ride of my neighborhood and the other here in the Quarter) but when in a late search of a small traditional king cake, I can hit 3 or 4 bakers or shops within a few blocks of my home and find one:
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First throws of the 2015 season, including Joan of Arc matches and my very own Heretic Doll

First throws of the 2015 season, including Joan of Arc matches and my very own Heretic Doll