Krewe of Freret considering ‘ban’ on plastic beads for 2014 parade
When the Krewe of Freret rolls in 2014, New Orleanians will see the return of a parading group that has been absent from the Uptown route since the 1990s. What they may not see, however, is strands of ubiquitous plastic Mardi Gras beads. While the krewe hasn’t come to a final decision, co-captain Bobby Hjortsberg told members of The New Freret business and property owners association on Monday that they are strongly considering a ban on plastic beads, instead favoring more unique, locally-made (and locally-purchased) throws that people may find more desirable. The beads are made in China and have little benefit to the economy of New Orleans, Hjortsberg said, and many local parade-goers don’t even bother to pick them up or take them home any more. “We just don’t want to be part of more waste,” Hjortsberg said. “Because we’re the new krewe and we’re going to do things differently, this is one way we’re going to do it.” - UPTOWNMESSENGER.COM
Krewe of Freret expected to parade in 2014 Carnival season
Krewe officials reported Wednesday that they have received New Orleans Police Department approval to stage a parade on the St. Charles Avenue route on the afternoon of Feb. 22, the first Saturday of the 2014 parade season. The approval was first reported by WWL-TV. Freret's announcement follows by a couple of days news that the former longtime West Bank krewes of Alla and Choctaw will move to the St. Charles Avenue route in 2014, leaving only the Adonis, NOMTOC and Grela parades on the West Bank. The two organizations said they were making the move to Uptown because they can get more members if they can offer the attraction of riding on St. Charles Avenue.. - NOLA.COM
Krewe of Alla moving to Uptown route
Expect big changes on the West Bank for next year's carnival season. FOX 8 has exclusively learned that the Krewe of Alla will now roll Uptown, in an effort to attract more riders. Some West Bank residents say the move is heartbreaking. For 80 years, the Krewe of Alla has been a fixture on the West Bank parade route. Residents in Algiers, Gretna and Terrytown watched as the krewe evolved and grew over the years. But now, membership is dwindling. So much so, that the board of directors put out a public notice...they needed 200 additional members to sign up by June 1st. Alla secretary Frank Borne explains, "Unfortunately we didn't come anywhere near that so the board has decided that we are going to go Uptown and hopefully by changing our route, we will be able to attract a lot of members who are interested in riding, being part of the New Orleans carnival experience." Borne says the krewe hopes to capitalize on the momentum that a lot of other big name crews that ride along St. Charles Avenue experience each year. But Alla's decision isn't being taken lightly by West Bank residents, especially considering last year, Cleopatra announced it was moving Uptown and Choctaw next year will permanently move Uptown as well. - FOX8LIVE.COM
Harry Shearer sues DJ over hearing loss due to performance on 2012 Bacchus Mardi Gras float
A local actor who participated in the 2012 Bacchus parade is suing the disc jockey hired to provide music on the float after allegedly sustaining injury to his hearing following the parade ride. Harry Shearer filed a lawsuit against Rock-It Productions Inc., Global Indemnity Group Inc. and Penn-America Insurance Co. in the Orleans Parish Central District Court on Feb. 13. Shearer claims that he was unable to move from his assigned position on the Bacchawhoppa float in the Bacchus parade after being strapped in behind a loudspeaker. He claims he was diagnosed with a case of tinnitus due to the defendant’s negligence and refusal to lower the volume or supply ear plugs. The defendant is accused of failing to provide any type of ear protection to the plaintiff and other float riders, failing to provide an alternative position on the float so as not to be in direct contact with the loud speakers and failing to take corrective action when asked multiple times by plaintiff prior to plaintiff’s injury. An unspecified amount is sought for medical expenses, loss earnings, physical and mental pain and disability. Shearer is represented by Andrew S. de Klerk of New Orleans-based Frilot LLC. This case has been assigned to Division L Judge Kern A. Reese. - LOUISIANARECORD.COM
A Look Back: 2013 Courts of Carnival
For an evening, the spotlight was all theirs. Though the anticipation spanned years, often beginning at birth, the moment was fleeting – but what a moment it was. Ahead the challenges of the real world awaited them, but for the night, and the days and events that built up to it, there was a chance to reign. We present here St. Charles Avenue’s inaugural chronicles of Carnival’s courts. They are arranged in reverse chronological order from Mardi Gras to Twelfth Night, as though marching into time.Somewhere the polished limousines now await next season, but the memories of Carnival past offer their own joy ride. The season has passed; long live the season.Balls are presented in reverse order by date. - MYNEWORLEANS.COM
Krewe of Alla Could Be Forced to Move Parade From West Bank
The Krewe of Alla says it needs new members or it will be forced to consider moving its parade route from the West Bank.The krewe says without 200 new members by June 1 it may be forced to parade on the more popular St. Charles Avenue route on the East Bank. The organization says it understands it must be self-sufficient. Board members say if it doesn’t meet its goal it will have no alternative but to consider options to save the Krewe of Alla for future generations. Membership has been declining for several years. Alla’s annual dues are $450. The krewe says it’s been affected by an economic downtown and the allure of parading uptown.. - WGNO.COM
Changes to Mardi Gras ladders, toilets and parking all under consideration for 2014 parades
New Orleanians could see clearer laws about the placement of ladders, more control over the locations of portable toilets, and more efforts to clear public spaces during and between Mardi Gras parades next year, based on a number of ideas Uptown residents discussed with their City Councilwoman on Saturday afternoon. The city already has laws governing parade-route conduct, but a lack of enforcement over the years has meant growing encroachment of shared spaces by “homesteaders,” as some Uptown residents called the people who stake out large areas of the sidewalk or neutral ground, roping off areas, erecting tents or creating a wall of ladders along the curb. City Councilwoman LaToya Cantrell agreed with those residents Saturday that she would support more citations for violators, but the bulk of the discussion was on ways to increase voluntary compliance — leaving police to the more important public-safety functions like taking guns off the route. Among the ideas pitched: Creating a fixed distance between ladders and the curb, Signs showing that distance, Holding toilet companies responsible for the burden for illegally-placed portable toilets, Creating more public places to go to the bathroom, Disposing of furniture and other items left on public property after parades, Resuming normal street car service quickly after parades, Making both sides of St. Charles a “no parking” zone during parades.. - UPTOWNMESSENGER.COM
6 Mardi Gras krewes fined by Jefferson Parish for parade violations
Six Mardi Gras krewes were fined from $100 to $2,500 for violating Jefferson Parish's parade ordinance during Carnival 2013, according to public records released Tuesday. Most of the infractions involved unmasked riders and smoking on floats, although two krewes were cited for having too few marching bands.The citations come in the second year of the latest crackdown on Carnival krewes as Jefferson Parish tries to enforce its parade standards and gradually raise them. The parish attorney's office released reports on six of Jefferson's 14 parades, in response to a public records request from NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. - NOLA.COM
Metairie Mardi Gras parade route, schedule could see changes
The Metairie Mardi Gras parade route and schedule could be coming in for some changes. The Jefferson Parish Council established a committee last week to consider altering the course up Veterans Memorial Boulevard and providing an alternative route, as well as doubling up parades on some days. Councilwoman Cynthia Lee-Sheng, whose district includes the Veterans route, said some krewe captains wanted changes this year but that there was not enough time. With an eye on 2014, she said the new committee will bring together representatives of the Citizen’s Affairs Office, the Sheriff’s Office, the East Bank Consolidated Fire Department, East Jefferson General Hospital, the Chamber of Commerce, the Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Civic of East Jefferson and two krewes, to be picked from among the 12 East Jefferson parading organizations. “That should be chosen by them,” she said. Lee-Sheng said she’s not pushing specific changes but that among the ideas floated in recent years have been eliminating the route’s loop on Bonnabel Boulevard, extending the route west, beyond Clearview Parkway Reversing the Veterans route, so that parades run east to west, making Metairie Road an alternative route and running parades back to back more often, so that no day has a single parade. - NOLA.COM
Councilwoman pledges to seek more enforcement of Mardi Gras safety laws
The use of public space on the Mardi Gras parade routes improved slightly this year, City Councilwoman LaToya Cantrell said Wednesday night, but the city laws need to be reviewed starting now to make sure that less of the sidewalks and neutral grounds are unfairly co-opted by furniture, ropes and improperly-placed ladders. Parade-route conduct has long been a sore spot for some New Orleanians, and the proliferation of living-room furniture and portable toilets definitely seems to have worsened in recent years, said Cantrell, whose City Council district includes almost the entirety of the Uptown route. But her direct involvement as a councilwoman began just before the parades did, when she told a Gambit reporter that she had yet to hear from her new constituents specifically about that issue. - UPTOWNMESSENGER.COM
Rex 2013 is attorney and civic leader William H. Hines, Managing Partner of the New Orleans-based law firm of Jones Walker. Mr. Hines, who graduated from Isidore Newman School before earning degrees from Princeton University and the University of Virginia, joined the Jones Walker law firm in 1983 and became its Managing Partner in 2006. Mr. Hines has been honored by St. Charles Magazine, the Family Service Society, the Young Leadership Council, the New Orleans Regional Chamber of Commerce and many other organizations for his tireless work on behalf of New Orleans and the region. He has chaired the boards of Greater New Orleans, Inc., the Committee of 100 for Economic Development, the Idea Village, the Council for a Better Louisiana and Metrovision, and chaired and served on numerous other boards advancing the business, social and cultural interests of the city and region. State and local government leaders have called on Mr. Hines to lead important local and regional initiatives to strengthen the region's commercial and cultural resources. He helped lead the effort to attract a professional basketball team to New Orleans, and was appointed by the Governor to the Louisiana National Football League Stadium Advisory Committee. He also serves as the Honorary Consul for Portugal.
The Queen of Carnival 2013, Miss Nina O'Brien Sloss, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lynes Robinson Sloss. Her mother is the former Eugenie Huger of New Orleans. Miss Sloss graduated from Isidore Newman School, where she competed in volleyball and tennis, and now attends the University of Georgia. She majors in International Affairs with a minor in English, and is a member of the Phi Mu Sorority. Miss Sloss has interned with the designer Vera Wang in New York City and with Temple Hill Entertainment in Los Angeles, and plans to work in Washington, D.C. following graduation. The 2013 Queen of Carnival's family has played many roles in Carnival and the Rex Organization. Her great-grandfather, Joseph Merrick Jones, was Rex in 1959, and her grandmother, Eugenie Penick Jones, was Queen of Carnival in 1952. An aunt, Deborah Hopkins Huger, was Queen in 1979. Her mother, Eugenie Elizabeth Huger, was a Maid in the court in 1978. The Queen's brother, Alexander Dimitry Sloss, was a Page in 2001 and a Duke in 2011. - REXORGANIZATION.COM
***ALERT*** Krewes of Zeus, Hera cancel Monday parades due to weather
Metairie's Krewes of Zeus and Hera have canceled their Monday night parades, citing the threat for severe weather, officials announced in a news release.The parades were set to roll Lundi Gras evening in Metairie.Hera was set to make its debut this year. Its partner krewe, Zeus, which is Metairie's oldest krewe, made headlines amid questions about its status but said it did plan to roll, at least until bad weather changed those plans.The krewes still plan to stage an outdoor event at Veterans Blvd. and Severn Ave. beginning at noon on Monday. - WWLTV.COM
***ALERT*** NEW START TIMES: Krewe of Okeanos, Krewe of Proteus, Krewe of Orpheus NOPD PRESS RELEASE: After receiving information from the National Weather Service of expected inclement weather, Superintendent Ronal Serpas, Parade Crew Captains and Organizers have made the following adjustments to the Parade Schedule for the safety of the float riders and parade goers:
Sunday, February 10, 2013 Okeanos, Mid-City and Thoth are all planning to roll at their regular scheduled times with Okeanos preparing to start 30 minutes early at 10:30am, allowing Mid-City and Thoth to follow. All three parades will follow their normal route until they reach Canal Street, at which point they will turn right with traffic towards the river to their normal disband area.
Bacchus will be staged and ready for their normal start of 5:15pm, however if all elements are in place they will start earlier than their normal 5:15pm time. Monday, February 11, 2013 Proteus will be prepared to start at 4:30pm (45 minutes early) and will make their planned crossover to the lakebound side of Canal Street for disband.
Orpheus will follow Proteus with a start time of 5:30pm (30 minutes early) and will make the hard right onto the riverbound side of Canal Street (with traffic) to Tchoupitoulas to their disband area. Tuesday, February 12, 2013 Rex and Zulu will roll at their traditional start times.
As of today, we have not made any adjustments to the scheduled Tambourine and Fan event at Orleans and Claiborne. - FOX8LIVE.COM
Unfiled paperwork brings cloud of uncertainty for Zeus parade
The Krewe of Zeus may still roll if proper paperwork is filed with Jefferson Parish by Friday. Wednesday, it appeared the oldest krewe in Metairie wouldn't roll at all on its Lundi Gras date, according to Jefferson Parish officials. However, the logistics officer of the krewe told WDSU later in the day that the organization has the proper paperwork and will file it with the city by Friday's deadline. Jefferson Parish councilmembers raised doubts about the krewe when insurance paperwork wasn't filed. Jefferson Parish's oldest parading organization is expected to celebrate its 56th year rolling. The parade features 20 floats and about 50 units. - WDSU.COM
Krewe of Mid City Sneak peak float development A very special thank you from us here at MardiGrasParadeSchedule.com to Ricardo Pustanio and the Krewe of Mid City for graciously opening their den doors to us and not only allow us to see the floats early but to also archive the building process on the props and floats. The Krewe of Mid City is known for their foil floats (the only ones in Mardi Gras like them) and the mastery of Artist Designer Ricardo Pustanio's usage of old school Papier-mâché techniques to bring not only the foil to life but also the props as well. - MARDIGRASPARADESCHEDULE.COM
G.W. Bailey to reign as Bacchus XLV Actor G.W. Bailey, best known for his roles in the “Police Academy” movies and the cable TV crime drama “The Closer,” will reign as this year’s Bacchus, the Carnival krewe has announced. Bailey’s recent career highlights have included a starring role on the TNT cable drama “The Closer.” He appeared in all episodes during the show’s seven-season run. Bailey now stars in a spinoff, “Major Crimes,” continuing his role as Detective Lt. Louie Provenza. Police roles have been his trademark, including Lt. (later promoted to Capt.) Thaddeus Harris, the Police Academy character in five of the popular 1980s movies. His other law enforcement roles have included Sgt. Rizzo in M*A*S*H and Capt. Felix Maxwell in the 1980s movie "Mannequin." Bailey is also one of the founders and current executive director of The Sunshine Kids Foundation, a non-profit for young cancer patients. Several Sunshine Kids are expected to make the trip to New Orleans to ride with Bailey in the parade. Bailey has worked with the group for more than 15 years, since being introduced to the organization by his goddaughter, who was diagnosed with leukemia. Bacchus rolls on Feb. 10 on the Uptown parade route. - WWLTV.COM
Krewe of Muses Float Riding Spot in eBay Auction With Cleopatra moving over from the West Bank and Nyx riding the night before, the Krewe of Muses have some new femme company at night on St. Charles Ave. However, a spot with the famed all-female krewe remains coveted. The Muses are once again offering one bidder a chance to skip to the front of the wait list by auctioning off a seat on one of their famed floats. The Muses have once again taken to eBay to auction off a seat on one of their floats. Bidding starts at $1,000, and can be viewed here. Bidders must be a woman over 18 years old. The package includes a costume, mask, package of throws and entry to the riding-members-only pre-party beginning at 2 p.m., as well as the post-parde aMUSEment Party featuring Cameo. Bidding ends Fri. Jan 18, at 6:30 p.m - NOLADEFENDER.COM • EBAY.COM
Mardi Gras krewes to host day-before festival in Metairie Two Mardi Gras krewes, Metairie’s oldest and its newest, are teaming up for a day-long public festival to enliven Lundi Gras in the Veterans Memorial Boulevard median. And they’ll give away a $20,000 motorcycle to whoever catches the winning throw during their parades. The announcement came Monday from the krewes of Zeus, parading in 2013 for the 56th year, and Hera, making its debut this season just ahead of Zeus on Feb. 11. Their Lundi Fest will include three bands playing from 12:30 to 5 p.m., face painters, stilt walkers and vendors selling food and crafts on Veterans just east of Severn Avenue. - NOLA.COM
Rex, tourism promoters revive tradition of distributing Mardi Gras summons After the Rex organization launched its first Mardi Gras parade in 1872, the founders came up with a clever way to attract a crowd. They sent out posters bearing a declaration from the king about his one-day reign over New Orleans, beckoning visitors to join the celebration. The edicts, posted in train stations and reproduced in newspapers, were a Rex promotional mainstay for about 50 years and an early tourism marketing effort for the city, until they were replaced by a single declaration delivered to the mayor on Twelfth Night, the first day of the Carnival season. The Rex organization in 2013, along with the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau and Tourism Marketing Corporation, revived the tradition of the king broadly issuing edicts for visitors to come to Mardi Gras. Rex distributed the posters for about 50 years starting in the 1870s but then in most years gave the proclamation only to the mayor of New Orleans.The Rex organization. We pushed it out electronically, through... social media and press releases," said Mark Romig, president of the tourism marketing group and a Rex member. "It's another unique way to get the news out about Mardi Gras." - NOLA.COM
Rex Announces 2013 Parade Theme "All Creatures Great and Small" "All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small," the first lines of a beloved Anglican hymn, provide the theme for the 2013 Rex Procession. Creatures-real and imaginary, massive and tiny-make up the colorful Rex Carnival menagerie. The hymn was first published in C.F. Alexander's "Hymns for Little Children" in 1848. James Herriot chose "All Creatures Great and Small" as the title of his popular book about a Yorkshire veterinarian. This fanciful collection of creatures of nature and mythology inspires the design of the floats of the 2013 Rex Parade. With 27 floats and 450 riders, the 2013 Rex Procession will roll along the traditional St. Charles Avenue parade route beginning at 10 AM on Mardi Gras, February 12, 2013. - REXORGANIZATION.COM
Phunny Phorty Phellows Herald the arrival of the 2013 Carnival Season Carnival Officially begins with the ride of the Phunny Phorty Phellows on Twelfth Night.The Phunny Phorty Phellows will board at the RTA streetcar barn, located on Willow Street, at 6:30 p.m. on Twelfth Night, Sunday, January 6th, 2013. The Phunny ride will begin at 7:00 p.m. sharp The streetcar, which, traditionally, is still bedecked in it’s yuletide dressings, will leave the station for a route that will take the partying Phellows on the St. Charles Streetcar line past Lee Circle and turnaround at Canal and then back to the barn. You can’t miss the streetcar, it’s the one with the really noisy party inside and a big sign hanging from it reading: “It’s Carnival Time!”. Look for members passing out special commemorative beads from the streetcar. Also, Krewe de Jeanne D’Arc marches in the French Quarter - MARDIGRASPARADESCHEDULE.COM • 2013 Pictures
The purpose of this fundraising campaign is to secure as much capital as possible before Mardi Gras 2013 in order to keep rolling with the Elvi, especially on the biggest events of the year for them, in which the talents of the filmmaker's alone won't be enough. Funding will be usesd for Personnel, Equipment, Production, Posters, DVDs, Festivals etc. Movies Aren't Made From Inspiration Alone. The Krewe of the Rolling Elvi have grown to hundreds of members, and have become one of the most popular attractions to Mardi Gras visitors, and the people of New Orleans. As the krewe has grown, so has its positive influence on the world, with countless appearances for charity fundraising and great causes not just in New Orleans, but internationally as well. Their very presence creates laughter and smiles wherever they go. This is their story, the story of men who become kings, and make the world a better place.- INDIEGOGO.COM
