MARDI GRAS ATTENDANCE
These letters are in response to Jan Ramsey’s blog post “Mardi Gras on the skids?” wherein she observed that the parade routes weren’t nearly as crowded with people as they usually are.
Perhaps the earlier date had an impact, but I agree that Mardi Gras celebrations—as far north as Burlington, Vermont—are probably cutting into the draw. As for Jazz Fest? I don’t need to come to New Orleans to see Neil Young, Stevie Wonder, or Bonnie Raitt—as much as I like them all. Most folks from away come to New Orleans for the genuine New Orleans acts. Maybe that’s why the French Quarter Festival (minus last year’s weather) continues to flourish.
—Mike McNamara, Burlington, Vermont
Crowds were definitely down this year. I was thinking it was just the early date and then Super Bowl Sunday but the newer transplants to New Orleans seem to be more into the Krewe of Chewbacchus than the Krewe of Orpheus. Road construction might have deterred folks and the rapid growth of both Muses and Nyx may spread out the Saint Charles parade attendance. Muses and Nyx were by far our favorite parades this year. Rex was great but Orpheus was kind of lame. I skipped Bacchus for the Super Bowl and I do not attend Endymion. But we still had a great Mardi Gras!
—Billy Polcha, New Orleans, Louisiana
Mardi Gras does not reach its full potential. The last major innovation was the invention of the “super krewe,” which happened more than 40 years ago. The mainstream Mardi Gras experience on St. Charles Ave., Canal Street, and in the French Quarter is fossilizing.
A couple suggestions: Fix the terrible dining options. Visitors come here because we have the best food in the world, but the only food most parade-goers can get their hands on is McDonald’s, corn dogs, or Domino’s pizza. It’s terrible that Mardi Gras is the WORST time of year to get a decent meal in New Orleans. No wonder so many visitors here associate the city with public intoxication and little else. Unleash the food trucks on the parade routes! Create food stalls and kiosks on the parade routes where locals earn money selling local food! Make them impossible to miss!
Conformist, suburban-style parades clog the Uptown streets day after day. Unleash the true spirit of New Orleans’ streets into the parade schedule. More real culture. More creativity. More art. More performance. Fewer rented floats with lame themes filled with people who don’t actually represent the neighborhoods they are parading through.
Too many Uptown parades: What if there was more diversity in which neighborhoods participate? Bring back more Mid-City parades. Have a day of parades on St. Claude. Move a couple parades to Lakeview, or Gentilly. Make it more of a local community thing, where parades are expressions of the neighborhoods they parade in.
—Cameron Williams, New Orleans, Louisiana
As an out of towner (Philly, where we have the fossilized Mummers for our parade) we come to New Orleans every year the weekend before the big weekend and Fat Tuesday (as well as other times throughout the year). We have watched Chewbacchus grow over the years and love it but we still go to Uptown parades. Never been there for Mardi Gras day because we have preferred to be there before the hordes come in. But we are looking at it for next year. I agree that the parades need to adapt to modern times and at the same time get back to some of the neighborhoods. It is so fun to catch beads and party on St. Charles Ave. at the Circle Bar but it is also so fun to really experience New Orleans by being in the neighborhoods. In Philly, we have reached the tipping point with the Mummers, stuck in their old, racist ways, and that parade, while not comparable to Mardi Gras, will have to adapt or die. New Orleans is a special place and no matter how many places “up North” have Mardi Gras celebrations, it is not the same and never will be. Every city has violence—that will never keep us away.
—Kate Galer, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
WEDDING AND CONCERT
I see in the newsletter [Weekly Beat] that I won tickets to see Bobby Whitlock!
I thought y’all might appreciate knowing that the night the tickets are for—March 4—is the day my fiancée and I will by stopping by Second City Court to get hitched, and I can’t believe how lucky we are to be able to add an awesome night at the House of Blues to the night’s celebration! We’re having a full-blown wedding next month, but we’re really excited to spend that night with some close family and friends and adding some live music to the mix—especially for me, who grew up with Derek and the Dominos—is too perfect.
—Kelsey Foster, New Orleans, Louisiana
Congratulations Kelsey! We have you all set up for two tickets to Bobby Whitlock on March 4. Since you are getting hitched on that day as well, we’d like to extend foundation room access to you and your significant other. The dress code is business casual but I am sure you guys will look great in your wedding wear!
—Callie Lardas, House of Blues, New Orleans, Louisiana
BONEYARD
I wondered, can you put me in touch with the person that made the awards? The reason is that I’d like to see if they can add the name of the co-writer of “Boneyard” who is my uncle. He taught me to play and was the reason I moved to New Orleans all those years ago. I’d like to share it with him; I think he’d be really thrilled.
—Jon Cleary, New Orleans, Louisiana
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