5 Secrets of New Orleans Mardi Gras
Since I began attending Mardi Gras in New Orleans in 2008, I have learned that almost nothing is as it seems. Actually, there is a deep and exciting subculture to the weeks-long event that is not apparent until you’ve spent some quality time there. Here are some intriguing secrets I’ve learned while carousing the Big Easy at its most glorious.
1. The real party is for the rich
I have been lucky enough to obtain tickets for Endymion’s Extravaganza through a friend for the past three years. Very lucky, in fact, because the tickets can cost upwards of $200 per person. Endymion is one of the major “krewes” who put on massive parades during Mardi Gras, and each krewe holds an annual festival worthy of A-list celebrity attendance. Endymion holds the largest festival (often in the Superdome), and boasts up to 15,000 of the most elite revelers in the city. Attendees are required to wear tuxedos and formal dresses, and there is always unspoken competition for the best or most expensive dress. Depending on the festival and the year, you can get special catering to your table or buy a bag of M&Ms for almost $20. Being a part of the krewe itself can cost you thousands of dollars in membership fees; that is, if you make enough money to be considered for it in the first place.
2. You must respect the hierarchy
Even with the gains in gender equality over the past few decades, only men are allowed to ride floats in most Mardi Gras parades, with the exception of the queen and her court as well as special celebrities. The queen is usually a local high school girl with enough money and status to qualify, and the king is usually a well-respected, long-term member of the krewe. Coronation balls are held to select these positions, and the winners’ faces are displayed on every table at the festival. (While being a Mardi Gras queen might sound like a dream, consider that she also has her headdress fastened to the large metal pole behind her while being forced to stand rigid on a moving float for hours.) Tourists are last on the proverbial totem pole of Mardi Gras, but luckily no one is sober enough to care.
3. They will do ANYTHING for the party
When parades take to the streets, normal city happenings cease. Main roads, no matter how big or busy, can be closed until morning. Two years ago, my friends and I had to wait in our car for five hours because our hotel was on a parade route. Last year’s inclement weather caused some parade routes to be redirected during the festivities, forcing Bacchus’ parade to take streets with low trees and power lines. What did the riders do? They cut down everything in their way and rolled on. Not even a hurricane can stop the Mardi Gras mambo, as we saw in the months after Katrina when steadfast New Orleanians came out in droves with a sense of hope and resolve to keep Mardi Gras alive.
4. You can get more than just beads
When you stand in a crowd of thousands for hours on a freezing night, you deserve more than a string or two of plastic beads. Luckily, the repertoire of throws has increased over the years. Some of the most popular include krewe-themed cups, doubloons, T-shirts, feather boas, colorful plastic shopping bags, Frisbees, ladies’ underwear, and stuffed animals. I have also had the joy of tomahawks, plastic swords, and light sabers being thrust at my head, as well as fifteen-pound bags of beads. If you want the best party favors, it helps to stand out by wearing a crazy costume or simply being a pretty girl; sometimes a rider will take the time to hand you a flower – even if your shirt stays in place.
5. There are still rules, really
Though New Orleans is arguably one of the most rebellious cities in the nation at any time, Mardi Gras is not an excuse to break every law in the books. Police abound – in cars, on foot, and on horseback – to keep whatever sense of peace exists. Most bars still card those who look too young to drink, and adult clubs have strict rules about getting too close to the women on stage. One of the most inconvenient rules is that you can only use the restroom in most places if you have purchased something, and you can only use a hotel restroom if you are a guest there. Even if you are able to use the facilities, however, it would be very wise to bring your own toilet paper, seat protector, hand sanitizer, and non-slip shoes.
Carly Zimmerman - I am a self-proclaimed world traveller looking to inspire others while being inspired!
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