Mardi Gras Sights Then And Now

Compare Fat Tuesday of 1941 to that of today.  Some things change, but the essentials remain the same.

New Orleans Mardi Gras 1941 in color

January 11, 2008

Mardi Gras FAQ – NOLA.com.  Everything the visitor needs to know.   

Image courtesy of Ted Jackson via http://photos.nola.com/tpphotos/2010/02/lundi_gras_3.html. 

“A rider hands out a prized throw, a gold painted coconut as Zulu rolls down St. Charles and Canal Street on Tuesday, February 16, 2010.”

Image courtesy of  Eliot Kamenitz, The Times-Picayune on February 16, 2010 via http://photos.nola.com/tpphotos/2010/02/zulu_parade_6.html.

“A Zulu rider hands a coconut to a fan. Early Mardi Gras Day feature photos on St. Charles Av. near the Rex reviewing stand outside the Intercontinental Hotel (bands, marching clubs, maskers, etc) and parade of Zulu and Rex and the toast of His Majesty Rex, R. Hunter Pierson Jr. and the Queen of Carnival, Katherine Saer Duncan.”

Image courtesy of  Ellis Lucia, The Times-Picayune on February 16, 2010 via http://photos.nola.com/tpphotos/2010/02/zulu_2010_7.html.

“R. Hunter Pierson, Jr. as this year’s Rex toasts the crowds on St. Charles Avenue near Canal Street as New Orleans celebrates Mardi Gras on Tuesday, February 16, 2010.”

Image courtesy of   Eliot Kamenitz, The Times-Picayune via http://photos.nola.com/tpphotos/2010/02/rex_parade_14.html.

“The Rex Jester float rolls down Canal Street at Royal street as the krewe celebrates Mardi Gras with thousands of revelers on Tuesday, February 16, 2010.”

Image courtesy of Eliot Kamenitz, The Times-Picayune via  http://photos.nola.com/tpphotos/2010/02/rex_parade_19.html.

“The Jester rolls down St. Charles Ave Fat Tuesday, February 16, 2010.”

Image courtesy of David Grunfeld, The Times-Picayune via http://photos.nola.com/tpphotos/2010/02/oh_what_a_day_5.html. 

“Mondo Kayo marches down St. Charles Ave. Early Mardi Gras Day feature photos on St. Charles Av. near the Rex reviewing stand outside the Intercontinental Hotel (bands, marching clubs, maskers, etc) and parade of Zulu and Rex and the toast of His Majesty Rex, R. Hunter Pierson Jr. and the Queen of Carnival, Katherine Saer Duncan.”

Image courtesy of http://photos.nola.com/tpphotos/2010/02/mardi_gras_day_2010_7.html.

See:

• http://blog.nola.com/mardi_gras_faq/index.html

Mardi Gras 2010 In New Orleans

Happy Mardi Gras!   Carnival is upon New Orleans.

The parades.  With Web Cams!  Don’t miss out.  Next best thing to being there is watching live. 

• Zulu – Uptown, 8:15 a.m.
• Rex – Uptown, 10 a.m. | Watch live 
• Elks Orleans – Uptown – after Rex | Watch live
• Crescent City – Uptown – after Elks | Watch live

The StreetcarCam/ParadeCam

Known as ParadeCam during the Mardi Gras season, Streetcar Cam gives you a window on the corner of Napoleon St. and St. Charles Avenue where the New Orleans streetcars run and Mardi Gras parades begin their route.

The Bourbon Street Cam starting Mardi Gras NIGHT.   Fun in The Quarter!

Some history on the Fat Tuesday Uptown parades.  Times-Picayune.

Zulu, 8:15 a.m., Central City to Downtown

• The hand-decorated Zulu coconut or “Golden Nugget” is considered one of the most sought after of all Carnival throws.
• The Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club Inc., which dates back to 1909, first hit the streets with decorated floats in 1915. The news-making krewe first paraded along St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street in 1969.
• The Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club, a benevolent organization that is one of the highlights of Mardi Gras, is composed of men from all walks of life – from laborers and politicians to educators and business owners. Local men and women and visitors from throughout the country also now ride in the annual parade.
  Medallion beads and an array of trinkets will be tossed, but of all the throws to rain down during carnival, the Zulu coconut or “Golden Nugget” is the most sought after. From as early as 1910, coconuts were given from the floats in their natural “hairy” state, the forerunner to today’s hand-decorated coconuts.

Rex, 10 a.m. | Watch live

• Did you know: Rex was the first krewe to introduce doubloons in 1960.
• The krewe’s monarch, whose identity is kept secret until Lundi Gras, is always a prominent member of society and his queen is a debutante.
• Rex, King of Carnival, Monarch of Merriment, will rule over Fat Tuesday when he and his entourage parade through the streets of New Orleans as they have for the past 138 years. There will be 27 floats depicting various aspects of the theme “Fables of Fire and Flame,” conceived by iconic local float designer Henri Schindler.
• Approximately 525 riders will toss stuffed special plush riding lieutenant dolls in three colors, stuffed boeuf gras, traditional gold doubloons, krewe-emblemed cups and purple, green and gold bandanas. 

Elks Orleanians, after Rex 

• Did you know: A variety of Elks officials will be guests of this ever-popular Mardi Gras parade.
• The Elks Krewe of Orleanians will hit the streets after Rex with more than 3,600 riders on 90 truck floats.

Crescent City Mardi Gras, after Elks   

• Did you know: Winners from the previous year’s competitions are the leaders for the parade the following year.
• Families and groups have enjoyed riding in the Crescent City Truck parades since 1947.
• For 2010, organizers anticipate 1,800 riders on 60 truck floats.
• Leading the way will be the winners from 2009 competitions, including the Krewe of Kool Breeze, The Gumbo Krewe and Over the Hill Carnival Club I.

See:

• http://www.nola.com/mardigras/parades/
• http://www.nola.com/paradecam/
• http://www.nola.com/live/video/index.ssf?bourbonstreetcam