History was made last night at the annual Endymion Coronation Ball when the 2012 queen, Erica d'Aquin (granddaughter of the Captain), selected-by blind draw-the club’s first African American king, George B Lafargue Jr.
Will fireworks fly at this week's Jefferson Parish Council meeting? Several captains are upset with new regulations that will affect their parades, and they may show up to say so.
If New Orleans is awarded the 2013 Pro Bowl, Carnival parades, already pushed back a week by the Super Bowl in New Orleans, should not be affected.
Correction: The Claude parade in Slidell is set for next Sunday, January 29, not today, as listed in the Mardi Gras Guide
One of the most enjoyable of my Mardi Gras endeavors is helping promote each parade by interviewing its captain for WDSU-TV. The two-minute segments will appear on-line and will air on TV near the parade date. So far we have filmed 32 captains in their dens or headquarters, and have a dozen scheduled for this week. Stay tuned.
A recent ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY conducted by Tulane University concluded that the City of New Orleans gets an 8-to-1 return on every dollar spent on services provided for Mardi Gras.
ANNA MARIE SOTO, the captain of the Krewe of Rhea, died on New Year’s Eve of heart failure. She will be missed.
The CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL GUILD'S MARDI GRAS MAMBO BINGO is scheduled for Tuesday, February 14 at the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner. The annual event is the Guild's foremost fundraiser and continues to grow each year. Call Nicole Marinello at 504-896-9373.
The KREWE OF MUSES is using eBay (http://r.ebay.com/HNtGSS) to auction a ride in its 2012 parade with the proceeds benefiting cancer survivor organization, 2012 C4YW Conference. Prizes includes the ride plus costume, mask, a small package of throws, entry to the riding-members-only pre-party and the post-parade party featuring Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Bidding ends on Sunday, January 15th at 6 p.m. Contact Jeanne at info@kreweofmuses.org or (504) 269-1422 with any questions.
THE KREWE OF CAESAR has landed characters from Sesame Street as guest riders in their parade set for Saturday, February 11 in Metairie.
The Krewe of Muses' selection of Patricia Clarkson was a fine one. It looks like a good year for guest celebs, with Will Ferrell as Bacchus, and Orpheus landing Brett Michaels and Cyndi Lauper, and Endymion featuring Maroon 5 and Anderson Cooper.
All fans of Mardi Gras parades welcome any move that encourages the improvement of Carnival in Metairie, where the quantity and quality of parades has sunk dramatically. But the new ordinance to require ten marching bands in each parade is laughable for three reasons-budgets, competition with New Orleans parades, and the availability of bands. Why enact new requirements that will be impossible to meet or enforce?
Carnival 2012 seems poised to be another successful season with major events scheduled during the first quarter-the Sugar Bowl and BCS Championship games, possible NFL playoff game(s) the NCAA Final 4.
Rumors that a parade on Twelfth Night would occur this year are false, but two groups are considering it for 2013, if they can get the city's permission. While not expected to affect Mardi Gras in any meaningful way, everyone hopes the Kern family feud will be settled once and for all. Meanwhile, the float-building company reports unprecedented activity. "We have seen more new construction and improvement of floats this year than in decades," said Mardi Gras World president Barry Kern. "This is a reflection of what is happening in New Orleans; it is a story of growth and prosperity." New, enlarged or completely renovated floats have been constructed for Bacchus, Orpheus and Endymion. Look for new animation and special lighting in these and other parades produced by the Kerns.
Metairie lost the Rhea parade, which had been a first weekend mainstay for decades. After 63 years of parading in Gretna, the Krewe of Grela is gone. The city will also not allow Cleopatra, Choctaw, Adonis and Alla to enter parade in the city, citing the high costs of services. Also canceled are Gretna's Lundi Gras activities and its annual dog parade. Jefferson Parish may add a few blocks to its west bank route by turning parades left from Terry Parkway and u-turning at Guardian.
Over the objection of the Mayor's Mardi Gras Committee, the New Orleans City Council, by a 7-0 vote, granted a parade permit for the new female Krewe of Nyx. The new group will follow the Ancient Druids parade on the Wednesday night before Fat Tuesday.
The Bacchus and Orpheus parades, which end inside the Morial Convention Center, will now enter the facility on the opposite end from their usual spot at Julia. Hermes and Proteus have added the Canal Street loop. Endymion returns home to Mid City and to the Mercedes Benz Superdome on Saturday, February 18, 2012. Look for the Fire Department to unveil new safety rules for flambeaux carriers starting in 2012 in New Orleans.
This year several parades plan to salute Louisiana's bicentennial as a state.
