NEW ORLEANS EVENTS - Mardi Gras 2008

HOW TO MARDI GRAS - Getting the Most out of the Carnival Season

Is it your first Mardi Gras?

So you're new to Mardi Gras, but you don't want anyone to know, huh? Here's some basic info about the Mardi Gras tradition you'll want to be familiar with:

Mardi Gras can occur on any Tuesday from Feb. 3 through March 9. The date was established by the Catholic Church who followed a Georgian calendar that has a fixed date for Christmas and fluctuating dates for the other religious holidays. As Easter can fall on any Sunday between March 23 and April 25, Mardi Gras is always scheduled 47 days preceding Easter (the 40 days of Lent, plus 7 Sundays).

Carnival season, as mandated by local ordinances, is fixed to begin on Jan. 6, which is also the Feast of the Epiphany and the second Friday before Fat Tuesday. During the 12-day period leading up to Mardi Gras, nearly 70 parades are held in the four-parish area of Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard and St. Tammany. However, "pre-season" parades have become quite elaborate and grand in scale and start much earlier.

The parade season starts three weekends before Fat Tuesday with the Krewe de Vieux parade.

While many tourists center their Mardi Gras season activities on Bourbon Street and in the French Quarter, none of the major Mardi Gras parades have entered the Quarter since 1972 because of its narrow streets and overhead obstructions. Instead, major parades originate in the Uptown and Mid-City districts and follow a route along Saint Charles Avenue and Canal Street.

While many tourists center their Mardi Gras season activities on Bourbon Street and in the French Quarter, none of the major Mardi Gras parades have entered the Quarter since 1972 because of its narrow streets and overhead obstructions. Instead, major parades originate in the Uptown and Mid-City districts and follow a route along Saint Charles Avenue and Canal Street.

The word "krewe" refers to non-profit Carnival clubs that are responsible for the elaborate Mardi Gras festivities!

Visitors are welcome at any parade. The most family-friendly areas are along the magnificent oak-tree-lined Saint Charles Avenue. Here locals and visitors greet the colorful parades with custom designed floats made of sparkling papier-márché

For those who would like to enjoy the historic aspects of Mardi Gras, there are two must-see New Orleans' Mardi Gras museums: "Mardi Gras: It's Carnival Time in Louisiana" found in the historic French Quarter, and Mardi Gras World, which is located a short, free ferry ride across the Mississippi River at Algiers Point. The first, "Mardi Gras: It's Carnival Time in Louisiana" includes high-tech, interactive exhibitions that trace the history, culture and traditions that surround Mardi Gras as we know it today. Here visitors can see historic costumes, antique ball invitations, crowns, scepters and elaborate beaded gowns of ball queens and headdresses of Mardi Gras Indians. Mardi Gras World, owned by Blaine Kern, the city's bestknown float designer and builder, features over 500,000 square feet devoted year-round to showcasing the intricacies of Mardi Gras float designing and building.
"Mardi Gras: It's Carnival Time in Louisiana," Louisiana State Museum, 614 St. Ann St., 504.568.6968, lsm.crt.state.la.us/.
Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World, 233 Newton St., 504.361.7821, mardigrasworld.com.

Been there, done that? Mardi Gras with the locals!

Lundi Gras
This year, the 500+ members of the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club will host its 16th annual Lundi Gras. The festival will take place on Monday, Feb. 4, in Woldenberg Park along the Mississippi River in the French Quarter. The festival event will feature local and world-renowned entertainers performing on three stages. Musicians such as James Rivers Movement, Vieux Carre, Amanda Shaw and the Cute Guys, Ed Perkins, Rebirth Brass Band, Pinstripe Jazz Band and many more will be providing non-stop music. The Lundi Gras Festival will add flavor to your day when the 12 food vendors kick up the Cajun aroma of crawfish pie, shrimp Creole, file' gumbo, alligator sausage, Jamaican chicken, crawfish bread, barbeque ribs, seafood pasta, catfish po-boys, peach cobbler, pecan pie and many more New Orleans delicacies. There are other attractions to wet your festive appetite. Everyone can join in a second line as the Zulu Mardi Gras Carnival Characters parade every hour through the thousands of revelers wearing their colorful flamboyant costumes. Who knows - you may be one of the lucky ones to receive a treasured carnival throw - the Zulu Lundi Gras Coconut! Also, witness the arrival of the Zulu King by U.S. Coast Guard Cutter along with his entourage at 5 pm. At night, make sure to stay near the riverfront because every year there is an amazing fireworks show that the whole family can enjoy! www.kreweofzulu.com

Lindy Gras
This year will be the 25th Lindy Gras, and it is an especially important one as New Orleans artists and musicians need employment now more than ever in this time of rebirth. The event is brought to you by Dance New Orleans, Inc., a nonprofit organization supporting arts in the greater New Orleans metropolitan area. The festivities will include:

• • Thursday night Pub-strut
• • Friday and Saturday main and after hours dancing
• • Saturday afternoon tours of historic and haunted New Orleans
• • Krewe du Vieux Mardi Gras Parade
• • Lindy in the park
• • Sunday night at Cafeé Brasil in the Marigny
• • Bourbon Street Blow-out in the French Quarter

Is Mardi Gras a family event?
Barkus - a tribute to our faithful four-legged friends Aside from a visit to Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World, the kiddies' favorite event is the famous Barkus parade. Hundreds of New Orleanians dress their pooches in the best costumes they can find and parade them through the French Quarter. Krewe of Barkus is one of the most popular, and definitely the cutest parade to watch. Dog-lovers must attend! barkus.org

Safety first
The population of New Orleans more than doubles during the weekend before Mardi Gras. It is important to follow a few very important safety guidelines so that you and your family can enjoy an exciting, safe Carnival:

Stay on the traditional parade route.
Ever since 1972, parades have not gone through the historic French Quarter because of narrow streets and overhead obstructions. The French Quarter is an area lucrative to older revelers, and is not the place for children during the festivities. Instead, you and your family should set up on the beautiful, historic, oak-lined Saint Charles Avenue, particularly near the intersections of Saint Charles and First Street and Saint Charles and Napoleon Avenue. Here the parade goers are all families. Many bring their ladders with kiddie seats attached to the top so that all can safely enjoy the parades.

Arrive early!
Mardi Gras is crowded, and in order to get a good spot where you can properly see the elaborate parade, you'll want to be one of the first to arrive.

Prepare a back up plan just in case you and your family get separated.
Like I said, Mardi Gras is a very, very crowded time in New Orleans. Arrange for a meeting place or tell your children to go to the police if they get lost.

Dress comfortably.
You will be standing (alongside thousands of your best friends) for much of the day as you celebrate the Carnival festivities. Therefore, it is important to wear comfortable shoes and clothing, especially because the weather in New Orleans fluctuates so frequently. If you're in the mood, many like to wear costumes to celebrate Mardi Gras, particularly on Fat Tuesday! Costuming is a great way to fit in, and children (and most adults) love to dress up!

Have fun!!
Mardi Gras is an amazing time of year and is truly a historic experience unique to New Orleans. Introduce the family to the traditions of king cake, masking and music and catch beads and doubloons from passing floats. Enjoy!!