Who needs Christmas in July when you can have Mardi Gras in August?

That’s the thinking behind the Krewe of O.A.K.’s Midsummer Mardi Gras, an annual parade that will celebrate its 36th year on Saturday, August 27.

The party will begin earlier than previous years at the Maple Leaf Bar, 8316 Oak Street, at 6 p.m. A balcony ceremony recognizing the krewe royalty will get underway at 6:30, followed by the parade at 7, which takes a new, shorter route. Revelers will proceed down Oak Street before circling the Carrollton Avenue neutral ground between Zimpel and Cohn Streets before returning to Oak Street for a block party between the 8200 and 8400 blocks. The Soul Brass Band will lead the parade. The goal of keeping the party centered on Oak Street is to support businesses in that neighborhood. In past years, the krewe held a party in Palmer Park, which was recently named Marsalis Harmony Park.

Of course, Midsummer Mardi Gras is no ordinary parade. Anyone can join the fun, the krewe’s floats consist of decorated golf carts instead of tractor-pulled behemoths and, most importantly, it takes place in depths of late summer. The party will also feature appearances by a number of other Mardi Gras staples, including the Krewe of Chewbacchus, Tap Dat, the Jamettes and Weather Girls, the Sexual Lumberjacks, Funky Uncle and members of the Krewe of Tucks.

This year’s theme, “Let Love Slip Up On Ya,” was inspired by lyrics from a song by funk maestro George Porter Jr., who is also this year’s king. Krewe member Annie Whitsonwill reign as queen. Both were picked for the 2020 parade which was canceled due to the pandemic and postponed again in 2021.

And while it may be tempting to assume that Krewe of O.A.K. takes its name from the street it calls home, that’s not exactly the case. Members of the krewe will tell you it’s an acronym that stands for “outrageous and kinky,” two words that will no doubt describe the annual celebration.