When I saw the list of Mardi Gras parades, I had no idea that many of them looked like this.
I’ve already mentioned how I had only experienced a sliver of Mardi Gras on my previous trips as a tourist. This year, I dug into the parade schedule to get an idea of the full list of parades, the routes and the timing so that I could figure out how to see a lot of different parades from different places, and yet somehow still survive Mardi Gras as a local.
St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA
But I had no idea that many of the parades looked like this: semis, pulling decorated trailers, blasting music and honking horns, a combination creating a vastly different experience from the other parades featuring decorated, themed floats pulled by tractors, marching bands and dance troupes.
St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA
It’s a side of Mardi Gras I didn’t know existed. And while it’s not my cup of tea, it’s an experience many obviously enjoy, because the streets were packed, people were grilling, the ladders were still there, and people were still yelling for beads, engaging with the riders, and celebrating Mardi Gras.
What a day! Mardi Gras celebrations roll on and the entire My Mardi Gras experience team of bloggers were invited to spend Sunday’s festivities, parades and enjoyment with Tom Martin and his family, and their friends and their families and then their friends and their families on the neutral ground near Jackson Street. A mix of ages from grandparents to kids, a mix of activities from throwing the football in between parades to grilling up BBQ chicken and grasshoppers (ask Tom for the recipe, amazing) and getting to know each other.
As day rolled into night, the crowds thickened in preparation for one of the Super Krewes, Krewe of Bacchus. This quick video was shot right before Bacchus began and the crowds started going wild – and not just because Drew Brees was named King of Bacchus!
Why Bacchus? Here’s a brief history:
Bacchus, The God of Wine and Vegetation
Bacchus, in Greek mythology, was the god of wine and vegetation. He showed mortals how to cultivate grapevines and make wine.
As the son of Zeus, Bacchus is usually characterized in one of two ways:
First, as the god of vegetation specifically of the fruit of the trees. Eventually, he became the popular Greek god of wine and cheer, and wine miracles were reputedly performed at certain of his festivals. According to tradition, Bacchus died each winter and was reborn in the spring. To his followers, this cyclical revival, accompanied by the seasonal renewal of the fruits of the earth, embodied the promise of the resurrection of the dead.
The yearly rites in honor of the resurrection of Bacchus gradually evolved into the structured form of the Greek drama, and important festivals were held in honor of the god, during which great dramatic competitions were conducted.
Since this is my first Mardi Gras too, I’ve been asking a lot of questions about the different parades and what’s behind them. I found out Bacchus celebrated 40 years in 2008 and look at some of their incredible milestones:
1968
» Bacchus Parade Founded
1969
» Bacchus’ First Parade
» First Krewe to Parade Super-floats Through the French Quarter
» First Krewe to Parade Through the Rivergate (Now the Harrah’s Casino)
1972
» Bacchus Introduces Its First Two Signature Floats: King Kong and Bacchasaurus
1973
» Bacchus Parade is Nationally Televised as a Part of Bob Hope’s Reign
» Bacchus Introduces Its Third Signature Float: Queen Kong
1979
» Bacchus Parade Canceled Due To New Orleans Police Department Strike
1982
» Bacchus Introduces Its Fourth Signature Float: Baby Kong
1986
» Bacchus Introduces Its Fifth Signature Float: The Green Bacchagator
» The Bacchus Parade Introduced The Aquarium/Mermaid Float
1990
» Bacchus Moves Its Annual Rendezvous To The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center From The Rivergate
1991
» Bacchus Introduces Its Sixth Signature Float: The Bacchawhoppa (Whale)
» Bacchus Re-Introduces Flambeaux Carriers To The Bacchus Parade
1993
» Bacchus Celebrates Its Silver Anniversary
1997
» Bacchus Modifies The Green Bacchagator Float To Resemble The Rare White “Leucisitic” Alligator, A Beloved Attraction At The New Orleans Aquarium Of The Americas
1999
» Bacchus Launches It First Internet Site On The World Wide Web
2000
» Bacchus Introduces The First “Mass Quantity” Hand-Painted Medallion Bead To Mardi Gras
2001
» Bacchus Introduces The First “Talking” Medallion Bead To Mardi Gras
» Bacchus Parade Is Nationally Televised As A Part Of Larry King’s Reign As Bacchus XXXIII
2005
» The Bacchagator Float Returns To Its Original Green Color
2006
» Bacchus & Endymion Parade Back-To-Back On The Same Night, Creating The Largest Single Night Of Super-Krewe Parades In Mardi Gras History
2008
» Bacchus Celebrates its 40th Anniversary
Thank you Krewe of Bacchus for one of my favorite parades of the entire Mardi Gras!
I’m not yet in full costume. Wig only. The rest of the costume is coming in future videos and photos! But one thing was required – a blue wig. So here I am, getting ready to walk into Mardi Gras World and pre-party and prep for Krewe of Muses to parade and ride through Uptown and into the CBD and downtown to Canal Street.
The one day delay did not dampen the crowds of the spirit of the riders. Here I talk about what I’m most looking forward to and take a moment to thank the sponsors, without whom, none of this would have been possible.
Krewe of Muses was postponed one night during this year’s Mardi Gras due to chilling temperatures and threat of sleet and (gasp) snow. So the normal ritual of loading the floats, pre-pary, parade ride and then party were changed slightly. All would go as planned, but with the party the same night and all the rest on Friday instead of the traditional Thursday.
The above video shows me on my float the night before the ride talking about Muses the next night and, what I thought, was in store. If that all would be true, would be better or different than I thought, well none of that I knew at the time. You’ll have to stay tuned for more videos featuring the rest.
It’s incredibly easy to miss people along the route, even to look right at them but fail to recognize them in the crowd through the blur of adrenaline. But when you somehow find someone you know along the route, the blur becomes a burst of joy, and you immediately start dumping your special throws toward your friends. Want an example? Check out what happens when friend Adele Tiblier passes by a couple friends and I while riding in Krewe of Tucks…
My family arrived in New Orleans today and we experienced our first Mardi Gras parade, Endymion.
I quickly learned Endymion was one of the must-see super krewes, and we were not disappointed. The floats were large and colorful with elaborate designs. The crowds were loud and fun. It was such an awesome vibe and nothing like anything I’ve every experienced.
Being that this is our first Mardi Gras and we are traveling with our 5-year-old daughter, I had a few reservations about taking her to a night parade.
While the mix of people was eclectic, there were definitely many families with young children and not once did I feel unsafe or that we were in an inappropriate environment for a child. In fact, she had a blast and was ALL about the beads. She cleaned up pretty well for her first time.
I do have one note about the beads that I wasn’t prepared for. The throws can be pretty hard, especially with beads of a large size. At one point in the parade some beads hit my finger pretty hard and I was worried for a few minutes as the pain seemed unbearable. All is well, but a pair of gloves is defintely something to consider when trying to catch those beads.
With our first parade behind us, I can’t wait to see what’s in store for tomorrow. Hopefully more parades, beads, food and fun!
Today I saw two different kinds of parades, both enjoyable but totally different from Muses last night. Iris is the oldest women’s krewe in New Orleans and the theme this year was “Children’s Classics.” Floats midday paid homage to stories old and new that appeal to the child in all of us. Seeing this parade from Gallier Hall was the opposite of the super krewe parade of Endymion I caught on Canal Street. After a day of Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan, and seeing kids on ladders collecting their beads and toys, came the mammoth floats of Endymion and the adults clamoring for their beads and toys into the night.
Endymion is a super krewe and everything seemed super-sized, it was louder, flashier with the biggest floats I have seen so far. It also had the biggest crush of people. Arriving towards the middle of the parade, there was no way to get very close but the excitement buzzed through the crowds. Perhaps the throws really were bigger, but I never got close enough to catch anything, other than perhaps parade fever.
I am a Mardi Gras newbie so I really had no idea what to expect. For my very first parade I missed catching any of the prized painted shoes, but I caught plenty of other goodies including a Sweet Musings sleep mask in pink satin, a stuffed penguin and the obligatory beads, most with ravishing shoes attached at Muses. For the uninitiated, it’s an all-female Krewe filled with sass and attitude and tongue firmly planted in cheek. Ok, there was more than fair share of cheekiness too!
Conversation Hearts
Some of my favorite floats sported all too familiar sentiments like the “Ask for Directions” float, the “Appreciate Experience” float, the “Put a Ring on It” float. Some of the floats were a bit too spicy for a PG-13 site like this one. My favorite of all had a Valentine’s Day theme in the form of conversation hearts. These were post-modern hearts with sayings that every woman I know would wholeheartedly support–Take out the Trash, Put the seat down, and 2 Good 4 You. Looking forward to another day and another parade.
MyMardiGras
Tabasco Brand
