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New Orleans Got Creative For This Year’s Mardi Gras And Celebrated It With House Floats (62 Pics)
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New Orleans is known for many things. Amazing food. Friendly people. Bourbon Street. Jazz. The French Quarter. Mardi Gras. Humidity.
One of the things that make New Orleans such a wonderful city is its resiliency and the ability to pull joy from tragedy. It was seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and it can be seen in the aftermath of COVID-19.
The announcement that Mardi Gras parades would be canceled for 2021 happened in November 2020. After the 2020 Mardi Gras became the first super-spreader event in the US, the decision was made to be safe and forgo New Orleans' iconic celebration in 2021. Hearts broke all over the Big Easy at the news.
But in addition to the loss of revelry for visitors, no Mardi Gras meant a loss of revenue for the artists and musicians that make Mardi Gras possible.
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Wedding Cake House
This house, located in Uptown New Orleans, is known as the Wedding Cake house. But after this year's Yardi Gras, it may get a new name - Jurassic House.
The Sign hanging from the front porch reads “Thank you Mayor for keeping us safe.”
Damn that’s amazing!! Your house really does look like a wedding cake 😂
Enter Megan Boudreaux, founder of Krewe of House Floats (KoHF). "I know a lot of folks are sad and disappointed that Mardi Gras cannot be normal this year, but I am hoping that Krewe of House Floats can be a way for folks to channel their creative energy, make something positive out of a bad situation, and have something to look forward to in 2021.
This is really about coming up with creative ways to celebrate carnival that keep everyone safe until we can get through to the other side of this pandemic."
Krewe of House Floats started as a small idea involving a few of Megan's friends and family. But as with so many good ideas, it quickly snowballed into a massive effort, spanning neighborhoods across the New Orleans area, the US, and around the world.
Krewe Of Muses
The Krewe of Muses is distinguished as the first all-female Mardi Gras krewe to parade at night uptown New Orleans. In Greek mythology, the Muses are the nine daughters of Zeus. No festivity in Olympus was considered complete without their joy-inspiring presence, and on earth no fine art, scientific, or intellectual endeavor was undertaken without humbly seeking their inspiration.
The idea that started to lift New Orleanians' spirits has also become an effort to raise money for causes across the city. Donations made to KoHF will go to those experiencing food and housing insecurity. Artists that would normally work for months on floats were commissioned to decorate houses instead. Some houses are decorated to support specific charities, including the New Orleans Musicians' Clinic, Meals for Musicians, and The Algiers Point Lil' Pantry.
Happy Yardi Gras, y'all!
Georgia On My Mind
Good Trouble....Bright Future.
Little Shop Of 2020 Horrors
Enchanted Lockdown Forest
Welcome to Our Enchanted Lockdown Forest. Thank you for all the frontline workers who have kept us safe this past year. WE LOVE YOU. And, thank YOU for visiting our house float! If you're able to, please consider donating to the New Orleans Musicians' Clinic (Venmo-@musicians-clinic) & the Algiers Point Free Lil' Pantry (Venmo AlgiersPointFreeLilPantry) #OurEnchantedLockdownForest
The whole idea, every house so creative. (Floats are too) And a FABULOUS way to turn lemons into a Bourbon HELL YEAH Cocktail!! I've always wanted to live in NOLA loved it since a childhood trip to Mardi Gras in 1968. I'd live there JUST to have my house painted ALL the wild and bright colors.
Flamingo House
House honoring the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. The festival was canceled in 2020, and has been pushed back to October 2021. Organizers are very hopeful that there will be a festival in 2021.
Acadiana Hay Ride
"There was dancing and live music on Friday (Jan. 15) to unveil the third house float of the Krewe of Red Beans’ effort to put laid-off Mardi Gras artists to work. The theme for the Lower Garden District house float is 'Acadiana Hayride,' and it features portraits of Cajun and zydeco musicians, dancing couples, and of course a horse. The latter seems to block the entrance to the house. 'We just squeeze in around it,' laughed homeowner Michael Burke."
Ruth Gator Ginsburg
Llamarama
The Alpaca-lips is Nigh!
Marie Laveau
It would be nice to know if the other houdes were lit up colorfully st night, ss well.
Popeyes
How does Popeyes compare to other fried chicken you can get in the south? I LOVE Popeyes, but I'm from SoCal, so our only other option is KFC, which is meh.
Bubbbles And Blossoms
A few updates to our house float! Balloons didn’t make it outside, so now we have beach balls . Also *everything* fell in the wind the other day, so it’s all attached more securely #kreweofhousefloats
Queen Of The Bouce House
This amazing house float celebrating the Queen Diva Big Freedia can be found in the Audubon/Riverside neighborhood. Follow the creators of this awesome project on Instagram @queenofbouncehouse
Schitt'$ Streets
I love this show but the manufactured nastalgia is kinda wrecking it for me.
Uss House Float
I saw your shameless plug
Yay!! Thank you for checking it out. :)
Think this is a great way to make sure to carry on the tradition in these trying times. Honestly even when parades and floats return... This should be continued as well.