Zulu is presenting its 20th annual Lundi Gras party in Woldenberg Park.  This year, the party is going extra-long.

The King and Queen of Zulu arrive early in the evening by boat at the riverfront park, before heading over to Spanish Plaza to meet Rex.  In the past, that's when the party on the riverfront ended -- not this year.

"This year, we're doing something a bit different," said Douglas Melancon  with the Krewe of Zulu.  "When the king leaves, the party's going to start right back up.  We're going to have food and music all the way until eight o'clock tonight."

There will be no shortage of things to eat and drink, too.

"I do homemade chili on sausage with a foot-long bun," said caterer Derrel Jackson.  "I have a loaded fry with fresh bacon bits, chives, sour cream."

Jackson has been working the Zulu Lundi Gras party for five years.  Renee Bailey of Down Home Creole Cooking has been providing food at the Lundi Gras party for four years.

"We've been seeing the numbers grow," Bailey said.  "With weather like we're going to have today, I can imagine it's going to be a really good turnout.  Last year was an excellent turnout."

Melancon said they have a true flavor of New Orleans when partiers get hungry: "We have everything from stuffed seafood, stuffed mushrooms...we have etouffee, we have jambalaya, we have crawfish bread, we have catfish, we have fried eggplant with crawfish sauce.  We have all type of food here today."

And he said the eight o'clock finish time should be good timing for folks to catch the Krewe of Orpheus when it reaches downtown.

Click here for complete Mardi Gras information on all the parades and parties.