Ok, so it's been just over a month since Mardi Gras Day, but it's taken a while to wrap my brain around this wonderful, crazy, unique marathon known as Carnival season here in New Orleans.
I've been trying to figure out a way to describe what actually happens during Carnival, but honestly, until you've actually experienced it, I don't think words are adequate. (I CAN say, however, that what you see on COPS and shows like that isn't really the Mardi Gras experience, unless you're a tourist who hasn't done their homework. You never have to do anything scandalous to get beads! And NEVER pick them up off the ground in the Quarter, especially on Bourbon Street. *shudder*)
That being said, here are a few of my observations. (To my New Orleans family, please feel free to add or correct anything I've said--remember, this was our first Carnival season--and I'm sure I've made some mistakes!)
1. King cakes: so much sugary goodness, it's probably a good thing they're limited to Carnival season.
2. Beads, beads, and more beads: I did keep a fair amount of beads from all of the parades. I have my favorites out, and we'll use the rest to decorate with next year, but I STILL donated a huge bag to charity (several schools/charities, particularly for special needs individuals, repackage and recycle the beads every year for use in other parades and purposes).
3. Not all beads/throws are created equal. You will invariably go home with a pile of generic beads after every parade, and those can be recycled/repurposed without any hesitation. Each krewe, however, usually has something signature that it throws, and those are so coveted that sometimes people go a bit crazy trying to get them (I'm looking at you, Nyx purse thieves!). The two all-female super krewes, Muses and Nyx, spend weeks decorating their signature throws (shoes and purses, respectively). Zulu, the traditionally African-American krewe started in response to segregation in the parades, throws (well, gently tosses) decorated coconuts. Rex, the oldest krewe, has a different signature bead for each of its floats, and some try to catch one from every float each year to have a complete set. Then there are the beautiful glass beads that are making a comeback, the doubloons, the stuffed animals, frisbees...well, you get the picture. (I didn't manage to catch a purse or shoe this year, but we did get two coconuts, so I was happy.)
4. Beads can hurt. Especially if you take a string to the eye when you're looking the other way. Carnival should be labeled a full-contact sport.
5. We actually marched in two parades with the 501st Legion, a Star Wars group that my husband is a part of. It was a lot of fun (even if your feet felt like they were going to fall off after walking seven miles!) and a completely different way to experience Mardi Gras.
6. It is impossible to go to every parade. They're not just limited to New Orleans, either. There are parades all over the Greater New Orleans area, and Louisiana for that matter. I'm hoping next year, since there's a little longer Carnival season, we'll be able to go to a few more. With Lent starting so early this year, though, everything was squeezed into a few short weeks. And the last week...whew. I haven't been that tired in a long time. (It was all worth it, though!)
7. Mardi Gras Day is only one small piece of Carnival season. The smallest part, actually. It's the last day, and after the two morning parades, all you really want to do is go home and sleep!
8. Sadly, it's not all fun and games. Some people use this time to try to settle old disputes, fight over territory, and cause harm to those just wanting to have a good time. There are also remnants of segregation lingering over the fun, even now. Although technically the krewes are desegregated, and have been for years, there's still a sharp distinction between the old krewes and the newer ones in their rider make-up. Like a lot of things in this country, it's gotten better, but there's still so far to go.
9. At the end of the day, though, it's all about friends. To all of our friends who invited us to come watch parades with you, offered your hospitality (and bathrooms!), gave tips and parade watching advice, danced, laughed, and made this first Carnival season amazing: thank you, thank you, thank you. I've said it before, but it cannot be stressed enough, we are so lucky to have found all of you! Here's to many more!
I think the most common misconception about Mardi Gras is that once Lent starts, everything becomes very serious around here. Not. A. Chance. We just had the St. Patrick's Day parade here yesterday, St. Joseph's Day and Super Sunday are next weekend, and the spring festival season starts in earnest the first week in April! As we've said many times--if you're bored in New Orleans, it's your own fault!
**I'm hoping to upload my own pictures from Mardi Gras at some point, but we're having computer issues right now, and I'm lucky to get this posted!
