Posts tagged Orleans Parish

2015 Orleans Parish Mardi Gras Parade Schedule!!

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We are roughly four months before Fat Tuesday. As we approach Halloween, the Mardi Gras drumbeats are getting louder. I’ve already heard a bunch from my own Carnival krewe, the Krewe du Vieux. We roll throughout the Marigny and French Quarter on January 31, 2015. I LOVE Mardi Gras and always have. Getting older hasn’t dulled my appetite for all things Carnival!

I used to see parades in all the surrounding parishes. I don’t anymore. I guess I don’t feel the need to dash around from parade locale to parade locale anymore. Seeing parades in Orleans, Jefferson and St. Bernard parishes in a single night was no biggie. Seeing the same parade in different spots

Rex Jester Float

Rex Jester Float

Day Date Krewe Route
Sunday January 6, 2015 Phunny Phorty Phellows Uptown Streetcar Route
Sunday January 6, 2015 Krewe of Jeanne d’Arc French Quarter
Saturday January 31, 2015 Krewe du Vieux Marigny/French Quarter
Friday February 6, 2015 Krewe of Oshun Uptown
Friday February 6, 2015 Krewe of Cleopatra Uptown
Saturday February 7, 2015 Krewe of Pontchartrain Uptown – Napoleon
Saturday February 7, 2015 Krewe of Choctaw Uptown – Napoleon
Saturday February 7, 2015 Krewe of Freret Uptown – Napoleon
Saturday February 7, 2015 Knights of Sparta Uptown – Napoleon
Saturday February 7, 2015 Krewe of Pygmalion Uptown – Napoleon
Sunday February 8, 2015 Krewe of Carrollton Uptown – Napoleon
Sunday February 8, 2015 Krewe of King Arthur Uptown – Napoleon
Sunday February 8, 2015 Krewe of Alla Uptown – Napoleon
Sunday February 8, 2015 Mystic Krewe of Barkus French Quarter
Wednesday February 11, 2015 Krewe of Ancient Druids Uptown – Jefferson
Wednesday February 11, 2015 Mystic Krewe of Nyx Uptown – Jefferson
Thursday February 12, 2015 Knights of Babylon Uptown – Napoleon
Thursday February 12, 2015 Knights of Chaos Uptown – Napoleon
Thursday February 12, 2015 Krewe of Muses Uptown – Jefferson
Friday February 13, 2015 Krewe of Hermes Uptown – Napoleon
Friday February 13, 2015 Le Krewe d’Etat Uptown – Jefferson
Friday February 13, 2015 Krewe of Morpheus Uptown – Jefferson
Saturday February 14, 2015 Krewe of Iris Uptown – Napoleon
Saturday February 14, 2015 Krewe of Tucks Uptown – Napoleon
Saturday February 14, 2015 Krewe of Endymion Mid-City
Sunday February 15, 2015 Krewe of Okeanos Uptown – Jefferson
Sunday February 15, 2015 Krewe of Mid-City Uptown – Jefferson
Sunday February 15, 2015 Krewe of Thoth Uptown – Henry Clay
Sunday February 15, 2015 Krewe of Bacchus Uptown – Napoleon
Monday February 16, 2015 Krewe of Proteus Uptown – Napoleon
Monday February 16, 2015 Krewe of Orpheus Uptown – Napoleon
Tuesday February 17, 2015 Krewe of Zulu Uptown – Jackson
Tuesday February 17, 2015 Rex, King of Carnival Uptown – Claiborne
Tuesday February 17, 2015 Elks Krewe of Orleanians Uptown – Claiborne
Tuesday February 17, 2015 Krewe of Crescent City Uptown – Claiborne
Baby Kong, Krewe of Bacchus

Baby Kong, Krewe of Bacchus

Baccasaurus float from Bacchus parade at Mardi Gras World

Baccasaurus float from Bacchus parade at Mardi Gras World

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Calliope Digital, Maker of WDSU’s Parade Tracker, Claim They Aren’t!!

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This is another exclusive story for Carnival New Orleans News. On wdsu.com’s Parade Tracker site, they claim with a link and email that Calliope Digital is the creator of the mobile application. I’ve been in touch with Chris V. of Calliope Digital via email because I want to delete the program from my phone after I received over 100 texts over the course of the South Shore parades the very first night of parades! That’s way too many for me!

The graphic and text below is cut and pasted from the Calliope Digital web site-

Calliope Digital, LLC announces the release of the WDSU Parade Tracker for Android. The WDSU Parade Tracker is New Orleans’ original FREE parade tracking app for the Carnival season. Now with more parade schedules, parade routes and more real-time tracking of your favorite parades. This year, we’re tracking 30 parades in Uptown New Orleans, Metairie, and on the West Bank. And best of all, this app keeps you up-to-date with the latest carnival news and changes in parade schedules and parade routes. Get it free on Android Market today.

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The following is cut and pasted from the wdsu Parade Tracker page on the Android Market site-

WDSU Parade Tracker

Calliope Digital, LLC

(62)
The WDSU Parade Tracker is New Orleans’ original FREE parade tracking app for the Carnival season. Now with more parade schedules, parade routes and more real-time tracking of your favorite parades. This year, we’re tracking 30 parades in Uptown New Orleans, Metairie, and on the West Bank. It’s the “must-have” app for Mardi Gras day and best of all, keeps you up-to-date with the latest carnival news leading up to Fat Tuesday, including auto-updates in schedules and parade routes.

Visit Developer’s Website›  Email Developer

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The following emails are from Calliope Digital Founder Chris Van Buskir and myself concerning me getting rid of the pesky program.

From: Chris Van Buskirk <chris@calliopedigital.com>
Subject: Re: how to remove parade tracker-
To: “David Eidler”

Me as well, as the app I built does not send notifications.  We do not send texts.  We do not collect phone numbers.  I have no clue as to what you are talking about.

On Sat, Feb 11, 2012 at 12:16 PM, David Eidler wrote:
WDSU’s site lists Calliope Digital as developer and have the link to your site and the email I used to contact CD. I’m puzzled about your response.

David— On Sat, 2/11/12, Chris Van Buskirk <chris@calliopedigital.com> wrote:
From: Chris Van Buskirk <chris@calliopedigital.com>
Subject: Re: how to remove parade tracker-
To: “David Eidler”

Date: Saturday, February 11, 2012, 11:20 AM

No I didn’t.  It was probably something they did prior, so contact them directly.

http://www.wdsu.com/station/267996/detail.html

On Sat, Feb 11, 2012 at 11:17 AM, David Eidler <araborecs@yahoo.com> wrote:
WDSU does, and you created the program from them. So if you cannot help me, can you give me an email to send this to so I can get this off my phone. Thanks very much.
David

— On Sat, 2/11/12, Chris Van Buskirk <chris@calliopedigital.com> wrote:

From: Chris Van Buskirk <chris@calliopedigital.com>
Subject: Re: how to remove parade tracker-
To: “David Eidler”
Date: Saturday, February 11, 2012, 11:13 AM

????  We don’t send out texts, notifications of any sort.  We don’t collect phone numbers.

 

On Sat, Feb 11, 2012 at 11:10 AM, David Eidler <araborecs@yahoo.com> wrote:

Hi there,
I desperately want this off my phone. I don’t mind Orleans parade updates, but not the entire South Shore. I cannot find a way to do this, the app isn’t listed in my downloads, or my programs. Please help and Happy Mardi Gras!!
David Eidler
http://news.carnivalneworleans.com
http://watchopp.wordpress.com

All Female Krewe of Nyx Will Roll in 2012!!

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Mystic Krewe of Nyx

Mystic Krewe of Nyx

The first new full-fledged Carnival parade in Orleans Parish since before Hurricane Katrina, Nyx won approval from the City Council on a 6-0 vote to amend the 2012 calendar and schedule Nyx after the Druids parade on the Uptown route the Wednesday before Mardi Gras.

The city’s last new parading krewe was Morpheus in 2002, a year after Muses and the Knights of Chaos made their debuts.

From their web site:

“Three native New Orleans women always loved the traditions, pagentry, and fun of Mardi Gras.  For years they admired the floats and loved the bands.  They enjoyed how much the kids’ faces would light up when they caught stuffed or beaded treasures. The women adored how the crowds screamed to the riders  “Throw me something!”

The mystique and masquerade of Mardi Gras day filled with history and excitement, had always been the most favorite holiday of the year for the three.  The ladies rode in parades and enjoyed the Ball Masques and parties that accompanied them, but something was always missing.

The feeling of unity and originality was somewhat lacking.  So the ladies decided to create their own Mardi Gras organization and the Mystic Krewe of Nyx was born.

It’s a tradition in Mardi Gras that the names of the Krewes are usually after Gods or Goddesses in Greek or Roman mythology. Nyx was the Greek Goddess of night.  The three knew they wanted to parade at night and be the goddesses of the streets of New Orleans during their ride.

Bringing together women of diverse backgrounds and enhancing the spirit of Mardi Gras for the community is the vision for the Krewe.  Embracing a little bit of tradition, with a twist of new and fun ideas, is what makes the Krewe of Nyx so special. All women are goddesses no matter what age they are.  Every woman deserves to be adored, respected, and made to feel beautiful.”

32 full-fledged parades will roll in Orleans Parish this year, including five on the West Bank, plus five walking clubs on the uptown route on Mardi Gras.

They claim to have 280 female members so far, and are still looking for a few good new members.

2009 New Orleans Mardi Gras Wrap Up

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Carnival 2009 was noteworthy in some respects. For example, the only cold weather of the season occurred during the second Carnival weekend, not the first weekend. 2009 was the 100th anniversary of the Zulu organization, and was also the 50th anniversary of the Mardi Gras Doubloon, an anodized aluminum ‘coin’ that had the krewe logo on one side and the parade theme on the other. Rex was the first krewe to throw doubloons 50 years ago. The doubloon also changed the economics of krewes- it was the first throw that the krewe could sell to its members for a small profit, thereby adding a important revenue source for all krewes. 2009 was the year that electric light up beads became almost commonplace.

ORLEANS PARISH PARADE SUMMARY

Pre-Season:
Krewe du Vieux: KdV was big, brash, and more biting than anyone else (rated M for mature) in its satire. The floats are mule drawn, and they have more brass bands than anyone else- seventeen in 2009. They are the only krewe to march in the French Quarter and Faubourg Marigny. KdV is the only adult themed krewe to march down the streets of New Orleans. I love KdV but I’m partial because I am in KdV.

First Weekend:

Oshun, Pygmalion and Ponchartain are small parades, but the first of the season to travel down St. Charles Avenue, and therefore very very welcome. Ponchartrain used to parade in the Lakeview area. I’ve always loved their giant crawfish float. Sparta looked different this year. They had bigger floats and didn’t look as historic as in the past. Sparta is the first krewe each season to use traditional kerosene fueled flambeaux. Pegasus is an open krewe that allows the public to join the krewe, ride in the parade, and attend krewe events and parties. Carrollton and King Arthur on the first Sunday are the only parades down St. Charles Avenue that day making it a very short weekend parade day.

Weekday Parades:

Babylon is the fully traditional parade of the season, and they were celebrating their 70th anniversary in 2009. Babylon has the look and feel of an old fashioned parade from a century ago. Many of their paper mache floats ride on wood wagon chassis and wooden wagon wheels and they utilize the original flambeaux made for Rex and Comus a long time ago.
Muses, an all-female krewe, was simply the best parade of the season for a number of reasons:their huge advantage in the type and variety of their throws, their emphasis on the woman’s shoe as krewe emblem, and their far out marching groups like the Rolling Elvi, the Camel Toed Lady Steppers, Pussyfooters, and Bearded Oysters. A great article on the groups can be found in Where Y’at Magazine’s web site here . Muses has established their hand decorated woman’s shoe throw on a level that approaches the Zulu coconut.
2008 Muses hand decorated shoe throw
Chaos utilized a relatively new kerosene flambeaux that are not part of the original set made for the old krewes in the late 1800s. The older krewes wouldn’t allow newer krewes to use their original flambeaux, so an ingenious and crafty krewe Captain studied the original flambeaux and created very close copies that work similarly but apparently don’t violate any patent. Chaos was the first parade this season whose floats were made by Royal Artists, who make the some of the best traditional paper mache floats in all of Mardi Gras. Check out Royal Artists’ web site here . Hermes was the first parade on a three parade night, and the floats were made by Royal Artists, giving the parade a traditional paper mache look. Hermes utilizes the older flambeaux. D’Etat goes all out to promote their parade, putting up two different fliers on poles throughout the parade route. D’Etat was one of the very first krewes to toss large numbers of light up beads, one of the biggest trends in Carnival throws. E’tat had a really good looking 3-D krewe cup, the only 3-D cup that I saw all parade season. The 3-D cup uses lenticular technology. Morpheus also used the longer route, following D’Etat. Morpheus is only 8 years old, but they have a traditional look to them. The painting on Morpheus’ floats was different than the other krewes, and I found the style simple but pleasing.

2nd Weekend Parades:

Iris is the oldest of the two all-female parading krewes, Muses being the other. Iris favors children with their throws. Tucks was formed by Loyola college students a few decades ago, and have kept their irreverent attitude. Their unique toilet float has been updated into the King’s float, keeping the porcelain fixture intact.
2009 New Tucks King/Toilet Float
One of the reasons I love Tucks is because I had my own float in Tucks for three years, at a time when Tucks solicited for floats to augment their parade.
Endymion is the biggest of all ‘super krewes’ with over 2,000 riders. Kid Rock was their celebrity king, and before the parade, at the big Endymion block party, Kid Rock reprised his big summer hit, Sweet Home Alabama before a huge crowd. Endymion has the most riders, the biggest floats, the most throws, terrific bands, and the biggest crowds. Endymion began as a neighborhood parade in 1966, and morphed into a super krewe in 1974. They utilize a third type of flambeaux, a propane version.The original flambeaux design burns kerosene, and the system has always leaked. The kerosene is stored in a tank above the head of the flambeaux and gravity carries it down to the burners. I’m not sure who owns these.Okeanos celebrated their 60th anniversary this year. New this year, several krewes that historically started on Napoleon Avenue began their routes at Jefferson and Magazine Streets. Okeanos was the first to try out the route addition. Mid-City was the first parade to use colored foil to decorate their floats, and when the sun is shining, Mid-City’s floats look superlative. Mid-City has an old tradition, the “Greatest Bands in Dixie” contest for the bands that participate in the parade.
Thoth has their own extra long route uptown, as they parade past hospitals and retirement homes. Thoth looked better than usual. In the past they rented their floats from Hermes, and many times, their floats didn’t match the float titles. This year, they had better looking floats that weren’t Hermes.
Mid-City foil float on Napoleon Avenue
Bacchus, the original super krewe, was formed in 1968 as a super krewe. To our eyes, Bacchus looked a little smaller in 2009. Bacchus was the first krewe to have a celebrity king each year, and they originated the huge super floats that contain dozens and dozens of riders. Today, there are 4 super krewes in New Orleans- Bacchus, Endymion, Rex, and Orpheus. On the West Bank, Alla qualifies as a super krewe, and in Metairie, Caesar does.

Monday Night Parades:

Proteus began parading in 1881. They use the old wooden wagon chassis and wagon wheels, and the traditional flambeaux they started with over a century ago. I caught a light up seahorse medallion at the parade this year. Proteus is a good looking, traditional paper mache parade built by Royal Artists. The only two parading krewes from the 1800s now are Proteus and Rex. Comus, who began parading in 1857, and Momus, who started in 1872, stopped parading in 1992 after the New Orleans City Council, led by Dorothy Mae Taylor, passed an anti-discrimination ordinance. Proteus stopped parading at this time, but resumed parading in their old Monday night slot in 2000. Orpheus, the super krewe founded by singer/actor Harry Connick, Jr., looked a little less super in 2009. For one thing, after the first few floats, the bands ran out. Super Krewes find enough bands no matter what. While many of their floats were giant, gorgeous creations, many others were ordinary.

Mardi Gras Day Parades:

Zulu celebrated their 100th anniversary in 2009, and to celebrate, their parade, perennially late, was actually early! That is a really big deal for Zulu. I received 5 coconuts after 1/2 of Zulu, which is more than I’ve ever received in over 30 Zulu parades. Today’s Zulu coconuts are improved, 4 of the 5 coconuts I received had the milk and meat removed. If you leave the milk and meat, the coconut often rots. Zulu led off their parade with the Edna Karr High School Band, which was a big switch. Historically, Karr hasn’t been known for leading off Zulu, but in this post-Katrina New Orleans, anything can happen. Rex, King of Carnival, was the first krewe to throw doubloons 50 years ago. Legend has it that Alvin Sharpe, inventor of the Mardi Gras Doubloon, proved the doubloon were safe enough to throw from the floats by tossing a handful at the Rex Captain’s face. When he was unhurt, the doubloon was launched into Mardi Gras throw history. The organization that puts on the Rex parade in called the School of Design. The line of throws thrown by Rex increased in recent years. Historically, Rex threw one type of medallion. This year, they had numerous varieties of logo beads, and two sizes of plush Boeuf Gras. In 2009, Rex didn’t look quite as royal as the King of Carnival should. They too suffered from a bad float/band ratio. Yes, it’s the end of Carnival, but Rex has surmounted this problem before, and I’m surprised and disappointed that they couldn’t obtain even close to enough bands. On St. Charles Avenue a few blocks from Napoleon Avenue, the crowd was lighter than usual. The crowd over the weekend on Bacchus Sunday was noticeably bigger. Yet there is no parade like Rex. They alone have the Boeuf Gras and Jester floats. These floats, along with the Rex King’s float, are the symbols of Carnival in New Orleans the world over.

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