Mardi Gras Parade Opinions Wanted (1 Viewer)

Vemnox

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Hey everyone,
Really excited about Mardi Gras this year (as I am every year), but this year I want to try some new stuff. For years and years I've pretty much exclusively done Okeanos/Midcity/Thoth on the Sunday before Mardi Gras. This past year I also did Hermes, d'Etat, and Morpheus. We also went for the first time to the Irish-Italian parade in Metairie (which was a blast).

So anyways I've been scouting some parades I might be interested in going to this year. In general it will be me, my wife, and my 3 year old daughter (who went when she was 2 last year and STILL has not stopped talking about it). First of all, are any of the parades this coming weekend 1/26-1/27 worth seeing? Specifically Ponchartrain, Choctaw, Sparta, or Pygmalion? Or Carrollton and Arthur? Keep in mind for all these I'm asking "Is it worth me driving down from Baton Rouge and fighting for a place to park to see these parades?"

Also, how are the Metairie parades? We loved the wide open space of Veteran's Hwy for the Irish-Italian parade so we're thinking of seeing more there this year. I've heard great things about Caesar and Zeus. Any thoughts?

While I'd love to see the superkrewes I just don't think I can handle the Super Bowl/MG combined crowd this year so I'm looking for fun alternatives. Your suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Edit: Oh and "spots to see the parade"/parking are also greatly appreciated.
 
Caesar is a great parade for kids. Park by the dicks sporting goods behind Lakeside. You can get there pretty late and still have plenty of room to stand. Be safe out there.
 
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w/ 3 yr old daughter you HAVE to do Muses
go on Magazine where the crowds are smaller, but it's a must for little girls

Do you know that is the #1 parade I want to do? The problem is it's on a stinkin' Thursday night and my wife and I both have to work the next day!! :( I'll see if we can wrangle leaving work early that day. What time should I get there assuming I do go in the Magazine area? Also, any recommendations on parking?
 
Spectacular, thanks!!!

thursday nights the best suggestion


as far as crowds - i dont think you will see much if any superbowl overlap. just flat too expensive to do almost 2 weeks at the special event hotel prices.

might enjoy tucks - its a day time parade on saturday and its theme is a bit of juvenile humor (things like the throne being a toilet, throwing toilet paper and plungers as special throws) and being a saturday parade during the day it isnt as crowded for the most part.
 
Do you know that is the #1 parade I want to do? The problem is it's on a stinkin' Thursday night and my wife and I both have to work the next day!! :( I'll see if we can wrangle leaving work early that day. What time should I get there assuming I do go in the Magazine area? Also, any recommendations on parking?

if you can, itll be worth it and then some. dress your daughter up real cute and maybe give her a small sign to hold... she will love the attention the krewe gives her.

from there, its all luck that ive found with regards to parking - i dont think there are many good secrets, just luck of the draw.
 
I think you've sold me. Here's hoping our bosses are feeling the Mardi Gras spirit! I'll be sure to throw her Halloween fairie costume on ;)

Edit: You know I dunno if I'll be able to do Magazine if I also want to see Chaos and Babylon. Those parades look like they don't even go down Magazine St looks like they just come up Napoleon. I may have to go to Napoleon if I want to see all 3.
 
I think you've sold me. Here's hoping our bosses are feeling the Mardi Gras spirit! I'll be sure to throw her Halloween fairie costume on ;)

Edit: You know I dunno if I'll be able to do Magazine if I also want to see Chaos and Babylon. Those parades look like they don't even go down Magazine St looks like they just come up Napoleon. I may have to go to Napoleon if I want to see all 3.

i believe thats true - i think the magazine run is muses only if memory serves.

which isnt a bad thing, as its still a cool atmosphere being in a neighborhood that doesnt normally get a ton of parade traffic. for someone that hasnt been to a wide variety, it might be worth finding something a little further up route and getting the full showing of all 3.

make sure the little one is well rested though, as it can start to turn into a late night quickly if catching all 3 further up route.
 
Oh we'd be at the very beginning near Camp St or within a few blocks of the pushoff of Magazine for Chaos and Babylon. And, yeah, if I'm going down there to see a parade I might as well see all 3.
 
Carrolton is a nice day parade and i think something else rolls right after it, so you get a 2 for 1.

I recommend Metairie Parades for the little ones. She will come away with so much stuff, as they are just less crowded as New Orleans and not as rowdy.

I take my 3 year old and she gets some serious loot. New Orleans...not so much.

You and the wife going? No question, head to New Orleans.
 
The Irish-Italian and the Mardi Gras day parades are the best ones in Metairie and honestly, the only ones worth coming from out of town for. For a 3-year old, however, any Metairie parade is going to be exciting. My little one is now 10 and the Metairie parades have lost their flair for her.

I think the best New Orleans parades are Endymion and Orpheus. Endymion is on a different route than the other New Orleans parades, so that makes it difficult to attend. Orpheus is awesome, plus the parade before it, Proteus, is my absolute favorite parade because they still use old school wooden wheel floats and I don't really care about catching beads. The problem with Orpheus/Proteus, is that it is on Monday night.

I agree with the others that you should try to get her to Muses. I think she will really enjoy it.
 
Random topic, but are any of you Mardi Gras affocionados (sp?)? I'm wanting some input on an idea I have about a consolidated Mardi Gras review site. Kind of brainstorming a few ideas but being as ill-experienced as I am, I'd like to see if anyone has any thoughts.
 
Random topic, but are any of you Mardi Gras affocionados (sp?)? I'm wanting some input on an idea I have about a consolidated Mardi Gras review site. Kind of brainstorming a few ideas but being as ill-experienced as I am, I'd like to see if anyone has any thoughts.


Just be careful, you dont want to be too critical. Remember these are just clubs looking to have a good time and are constantly recruiting to get more members to join.

If you do something, i would break things down to a top 5 or so list of parades based off what you are looking for.

Expereince, Partying, Family with young kids, Family with older kids, etc.

Just my opinion.
 
Well that's sort of what I'm looking to do. Every parade has it's pros and cons. A small parade in Baton Rouge some would prefer to the hustle and bustle of a New Orleans superkrewe. It's less about for which krewes for people to join but rather to help those decide which parades are best for themselves and for their parties. Particularly for folks who may be coming from out of town.

For example, which parades are family friendly, which are low-crowds, etc. That's what I'm looking for is input on what facets of a parade should be reviewed.

Let's say like...
Overall
Theme
Float Quality
Throw Quantity
Throw Quality
Efficiency
Bands
Dancers
Crowd Level
Parade Route / Parking
Family Friendly

Edit:
Sort of like this expanded and open to everyone:
http://www.bestofneworleans.com/gambit/mardi-gras-parade-reviews/Content?oid=1620955
 

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