Krewe du Vieux Mardi Gras Parade
Marigny and French Quarter Neighborhoods in New Orleans
February 16, 2019
Oh, my…The Krewe du Vieux (pronounce Voo) is about as New Orleansy as a Mardi Gras Krewe can get. Wildly politically incorrect, satirically magnificent, it is more like a no holds barred SNL propelled by brass bands. Like most of the parades in New Orleans weeks before Mardi Gras day, this is a walking/marching krewe.
The floats are pushed or pulled along by the marchers themselves (link to parade route). A few are drawn along by mules, paying respect to the parade tradition before mega krewes got the idea to build floats the size of The Queen Mary, transported aboard 18 wheelers, and so mammoth that they can’t navigate the narrow streets of the French Quarter.
Fearless lunacy abounds. Sacred Cows? The 17 sub-krewes of Krewe du Vieux gore them all with their interpretations of this year's theme, "Yes,Yes, Oh God, Yes," (a vaguely tongue-in-cheek reference to Mayor LaToya Cantrell's positivity campaign to brand New Orleans as "The City of Yes.") Yes, indeed...but best to leave the kids home when you head for this one. The list of sub-krewes speaks for itself.
SUB-KREWES
SEEDS OF DECLINE
Theme: Let us Prey (Priests)
KREWE DU MISHIGAS
Theme: Red, White and Jew (RBG)
KREWE OF SPANK
Theme: Bead Busters
KREWE OF THE MYSTIC INANE
Theme: RoadwerkNOLA.gov
KREWE OF UNDERWEAR
Theme: Hop On, Get Off
KREWE OF K.A.O.S.
Theme: Objection Overruled (Gender Equality)
KNIGHTS OF MONDU
Theme: Robbin' Goods: Irvin Mayfield
KREWE RUE BOURBON
Theme: Domino PotHo
KREWE OF L.E.W.D.
Theme: Submission Control: In Space No One Hears Your Safe World
MYSTIC KREWE OF SPERMES
Theme: Entergize the Pussy
T.O.K.I.N.
Theme: Bong Voyage
KREWE OF DRIPS AND DISCHARGES
Theme: Screw Dat
KREWE OF C.R.U.D.E.
Theme: The Lyin' King
KREWE OF SPACE AGE LOVE
Theme: Pot for Potholes
KREWE DE C.R.A.P.S.
Theme: City of No No oh God No (Priest Abuse)
MYSTIK KREWE OF COMATOSE
Theme: Kills the Story (Kashoggi)
KREWE OF MAMA ROUX
Theme: Mama Roux Sees You
Gotta love the names of the krewes and the spirit of satire - international, local, political, zany, and gleefully delivered by the costumed marchers. Their floats are hand-made, also a throwback from the earliest Mardi Gras parades.
Krewe du Vieux's purposeful goof ball sub-krewes are the most unfettered, unflustered, uninhibited gang of merry makers…the only thing they take seriously is maintaining the spirit of satire and organic homemade theatricality and pointed humor that was an ingredient of many original New Orleans Mardi Gras parades.
Mardi Gras spectators are the Laurel to the parade’s Hardy. They play their roles to perfection, often decked out in wild, absurd, outfits, lustily cheering the goings-on in the street, and an instant flash mob of convivial bon vivants. In these smaller parades with spectators three or four deep for blocks along the parade route, bonhomie rules.
“Sure, come on up!” is the response every time I want to get a photo and I’m at the back of the pack.
No “Throw me something, Mister!” beseeching from the crowd….no plastic beads flying to the crowd. Tiny paper handmade something-or-others, cards or pamphlets with scurrilous drawings are handed out to us on the parade route.
One of my favorites. “Do you like beer?” a krewe marcher asks. “Have one,” and he hands me an Abita Beer bottle cap with a tiny color cameo of Brett Kavanaugh pasted inside the cap. They must have been putting these together for months.
In the closing days of Carnival, the parades are huge and attract visitors from all over the country. In the earlier weeks like this, it’s a local party that began on January 6 (The Epiphany) and gains steam steadily until Ash Wednesday (about 58 days this year). If you want a taste of time tested traditional New Orleans Mardi Gras Carnival Season, book a flight right now.
The whole parade season in New Orleans...may as well be in another galaxy, a good one...http://www.mardigrasparadeschedule.com
Krewe du Vieux "throws", no beads, no plastic, small bits of fierce satire handed out to spectators along the parade route. There were a few political hand-outs so scurrilous I declined to include them...not because I'm a prude, just don't want to scandalize readers who may not share Mardi Gras' wild west humor as much as I do.
PHOTOS - Krewe du Vieux, krewedelusion
https://www.neworleans.com/event/krewe-du-vieux-parade/3242/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krewe
Perfect depiction of the enthusiasm of Carnival season. A banana republic needs to laugh at itself and we've got troubles galore.
Posted by: rubia | March 04, 2019 at 03:43 PM
Yes, I totally agree. I was there ages ago and was "blown away."
Posted by: Carol Raymond | March 11, 2019 at 01:59 PM