New Orleans Mardi Gras

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Alexandra Kennon

Black Masking Indians and Baby Dolls making their way down Dryades Street in Central City on Mardi Gras Day 2022.

Alas, it's finally here: La saison du Carnival! Whether you are a local New Orleanian or a first-time visitor, the experience can be simultaneously mystifying and disorienting. When planning your escapades, please remember to verify routes and schedules at individual parade sites and Facebook pages, or at mardigrasneworleans.com, just in case any changes have been made. 

Saturday, January 20

Krewe of Chewbacchus: This foot parade is the brainchild of the intergalactic krewe comprised of six hundred self-professed sci-fi geeks pursuing the mission of “saving the galaxy one drunken nerd at a time.” Members will be pushing, pedaling, and pulling homemade contraptions; and the pièce de résistance will be an eleven-foot tall golden effigy of Chewbacchus himself. 7 pm. chewbacchus.org.

Friday, January 26

Krewe Bohème: Presided over by the intoxicating Green Absinthe Fairy, Bohème will march through the Marigny and French Quarter under the theme “L'Huere Verte”. 7 pm. kreweboheme.com.

Saturday, January 27

Krewe du Vieux: This is New Orleans’ only Mardi Gras parade featuring traditional mule-drawn floats, each with its own satirical theme. 6:30 pm. kreweduvieux.org.

Sunday, January 28

‘tit Rəx: Miniature size, maximum fun, this walking parade with the petit, handmade floats marches down the median in St. Roch. 4:30 pm. titrexparade.com.

krewedelusion: One of the weirdest parades of the season, krewedelusion is on a mission to save the universe, starting at its center—New Orleans’ French Quarter. 7 pm. facebook.com/krewedelusion.

Friday, February 2

Krewe of Cork: New Orleans’s wine krewe will be sippin’ and steppin’ through the French Quarter. 3 pm. kreweofcork.com.

Krewe of Oshun: This krewe includes marching Baby Dolls, a band contest, peacocks, and the goddess of love—all making their way down St. Charles. 5:30 pm. mardigrasneworleans.com.

Krewe of Cleopatra: The first all-female organization on the Uptown route will roll again. 6 pm. kreweofcleopatra.org

Krewe of ALLA: One of the oldest of the New Orleans krewes, ALLA has been marching in Uptown since the Great Depression. Step out to catch one of their signature genie lamp throws. 7 pm. kreweofalla.net.

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Phillip Colwart

Saturday, February 3

Knights of Nemesis: The krewe of St. Bernard Parish will make its annual, unforgettable appearance coming down Judge Perez Drive. 1 pm. knightsofnemesis.org.

Krewe of Pontchartrain: Famous for its history of celebrity Grand Marshals, this St. Charles Avenue parade is one of New Orleans’ longest-standing. Moved to 9:30 am due to weather. kofp.com.

Krewe of Choctaw: Starting their eighty-year history on mail wagons as floats, this krewe will march down St. Charles. Moved to noon due to weather. kreweofchoctaw.com.

Krewe of Freret: This krewe has a focus of preserving New Orleans Mardi Gras tradition, and will march down St. Charles following Choctaw. Moved to 1 pm due to weather. kreweoffreret.org. 

Knights of Sparta: This all-male krewe has been around since the fifties. Moved until after Freret due to weather; down St. Charles. knightsofsparta.com.

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Mason Wood

Sunday, February 4

Magical Krewe of Mad Hatters: This recently-founded Metairie krewe aimed at capturing the imagination brings Alice in Wonderland to life with colorful lights, costumes, and dance troops on Veteran’s Boulevard. Moved to 4 pm Sunday due to weather. .madhattersparade.com.

Krewe of Pygmalion: This parade founded by Carnival veterans in 1999 rolls down the St. Charles route, floats only, at 10 am (due to weather). kreweofpygmalion.org.

Mystic Krewe of Barkus: This one has gone to the dogs—see them all, including the four-legged royalty, this year with the theme “Top Dogs: Barkus Comes to the Rescue”. In the French Quarter, starting at 2 pm. kreweofbarkus.org. 

The Mystic Krewe of Femme Fatale: The first krewe founded by African American women for African American women, their signature throw is a designer lady's compact, symbolizing constant inward and outward reflection. 11 am down St. Charles. mkfemmefatale.org.

Krewe of Carrollton: Carrollton is the fourth-oldest parading krewe of the New Orleans Carnival season. Watch out! They are known for throwing shrimp boots. Follows Femme Fatale at noon down St. Charles. kreweofcarrollton.org.

Krewe of King Arthur and Merlin: One of the largest New Orleans krewes, Arthur and Merlin’s signature throw is the King Arthur Grail——hand-made goblets that are bestowed upon the most esteemed parade-goers. Follows Carrollton at 1 pm. kreweofkingarthur.com.

Krewe of Atlas: This Metairie Krewe was founded on the principle of equality for all. 2 pm down Veterans. mardigrasneworleans.com/parades/krewe-of-atlas.

Wednesday, February 7

Krewe of Druids: This secret society is known for its wit and tendency to ruffle feathers. One year it featured a float saying: “Seriously...The Parade Behind us is not Worth the Wait.” 6:15 pm down St. Charles. mardigrasneworleans.com.

Krewe of Nyx: One of the city's all-women's Mardi Gras krewes, known for throwing hand-decorated purses. 6:45 pm. kreweofnyx.org.

Thursday, February 8

Knights of Babylon: Traditional to the max, this Uptown krewe designs their floats exactly as they were drawn up over eighty years ago. The king’s identity is never revealed to the public. 5:30 pm. knightsofbabylon.org.

Knights of Chaos: Parading on the traditional "Momus Thursday," Chaos picks up where Momus left off—in the grand tradition of satire. Follows Babylon on the Uptown Route at 6 pm. mardigrasneworleans.com.

Krewe of Muses: Let's get some shoes—one of the most coveted throws of the season comes from this incredibly popular all-female parade. Follows Chaos Uptown around 6:45 pm. kreweofmuses.org.

Friday, February 9

Krewe of Bosom Buddies: This French Quarter walking parade celebrates women of all walks of life, and throws out hand-decorated bras along the way. 11:30 am. bosombuddiesnola.org.

Krewe of Hermes: Every year, the Hermes' captain leads the Uptown procession in full regalia on a white horse, followed by innovative neon floats and 700 male riders. 5:30 pm. kreweofhermes.com.

Krewe d'Etat: Led by a dictator instead of a king, this secret society gets a kick out of throwing blinking skulls at its audience. Pick up a copy of the D'Etat Gazette, a bulletin with pictures and descriptions of the floats. 6:30 pm down St. Charles. mardigrasneworleans.com.

Krewe of Morpheus: Looking through the chaos and tomfoolery for an "old school" parade down St. Charles? This one's for you. 7 pm. kreweofmorpheus.com.

Saturday, February 10

Krewe of NOMTOC: The Krewe of New Orleans Most Talked of Club was founded in 1969 by the Jugs Social Club. The all Black krewe tosses out ceramic medallion beads, jug banks, and signature Jug Man dolls. Starts in the Westbank at 10:45 am. nomtoc.com.

Krewe of Iris: One of the oldest and largest female Carnival organizations for women, Iris members continue to follow tradition with white gloves and masks. Its 3,400 members pass through the streets throw decorated sunglasses and king cake babies, as well as a bunch of Iris-themed items 11 am down St. Charles. kreweofiris.org.

Krewe of Tucks: This one got its start at a pub, and has developed a fond reputation for its potty humor, including toilet paper throws draping St. Charles' live oaks. Watch out for the King's throne (a giant toilet). Noon. kreweoftucks.com.

Krewe of Endymion: If you’re heading to watch this New Orleans’ “Super-Krewe,” be sure to get out to your viewing spot on Canal early. The Krewe hosts Samedi Gras, a block party that draws 30,000+ people to kick off the parade. Previous grand marshals include Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Steven Tyler, Pitbull, Kiss, and Flo-Rida. 4:15 pm. endymion.org.

Krewe of Isis: As Jefferson Parish’s oldest-consecutively parading Carnival organization and largest all-female krewe, the Metairie Egyptian-themed parade features marching bands, dance teams, and spectacularly-attired maids. Starts at the Esplanade Mall at 6 pm. kreweofisis.org.

Sunday, February 11 (Bacchus Sunday)

Krewe of Bacchus: Revered as one of the most spectacular krewes in Carnival history, this parade is known for staging celebrities Bob Hope, Dick Clark, WIll Ferrell, and Drew Brees as its namesake, Bacchus. The parade ends inside the Convention Center for a black-tie Rendezvous party of over 9,000 guests. 5:15 pm. kreweofbacchus.org.

Krewe of Mid-City: This one is famed for its foil-covered floats and children-oriented themes. 11:45 am along the St. Charles Route. kreweofmid-city.com.

Krewe of Okeanos: Back in the '50s, Okeanos started as a small neighborhood parade, and evolved into the over 250-rider krewe it is today, traveling on the traditional Uptown/Downtown route. 11 am. kreweofokeanos.org.

Krewe of Thoth: This parade's route is uniquely designed to reach extended healthcare facilities so that individuals unable to attend other parades can participate in the holiday as well. This year, the theme is “Thoth Goes Festin'” Noon on the Uptown route. thothkrewe.com.

Krewe of Athena: Jefferson Parish's newest all-female krewe, founded on Sisterhood, Service, Fellowship, and Fun, will be tossing out hand-decorated fedoras down Veteran's Memorial Boulevard. 5:30 pm. kreweofathena.org.

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Monday, February 12 (Lundi Gras)

Krewe of Proteus: Founded in 1882, this St. Charles parade is the second-oldest krewe in Carnival history, and still uses the original chassis for their floats. Once known as the most miserly throw-ers, they now joust 60-inch red-and-white pearl bead necklaces, plastic tridents, and polystone medallions. 5:15 pm. kreweofproteus.com.

Krewe of Orpheus: This parade was established as a superkrewe immediately after its debut, which rolled out 700 riders, and celebrates forty years this year. One of their most famous floats is the Dolly Trolley, the horse-drawn bus used in the opening of Hello Dolly with Barbara Streisand. This year, monarchs include Neil Patrick Harris & David Burtka. Orpheuscapade, the post-parade gala is open to the public. Rolls on the Uptown Route at 6 pm. kreweoforpheus.com.

Krewe of Centurions: The family-friendly Centurions parade is comprised of over 350 men, and rolls on the Metairie route. 6:30 pm. kreweofcenturions.com.

Tuesday, February 13 (Mardi Gras)

Krewe of Zulu: A parading krewe since 1909, Zulu was the first and for many years the only krewe representing New Orleans’ Black community. Its extraordinary costumes, float designs, and history distinguish it from other Mardi Gras parades. 8 am on St. Charles. kreweofzulu.com.

Krewe of Rex: Elaborately decorated, hand-painted floats, masked riders in historic costumes, and a rich and colorful history make Rex one of the cultural centerpieces of Mardi Gras. Rex was formed in 1872, making it the oldest continually-operating krewe. The identities of Rex’s king and queen remains secret until Lundi Gras. 10:30 am down St. Charles. rexorganization.com.

ELKS, Krewe of Orleanians: The world’s largest truck parade features over fifty individually designed truck floats and comprises of over 4,600 riders. Follows Rex at 10:30 am. neworleans.com.

Krewe of Crescent City: Each truck in the Crescent City Truck Parade represents a different Carnival organization. This parade signals the official "beginning of the end" of Carnival. Follows ELKS Orleanians at 11 am. crescentcitytruckparade.com.

Krewe of Argus: One of Jefferson Parish’s largest and most family friendly parades, Argus draws over a million revelers to the Veterans Memorial Parade Route in Metairie. Past celebrity guests include Barbara Eden, Phyllis Diller, and Shirley Jones. 10:30 am. kreweofargus.com.

ELKS, Krewe of Jeffersonians: Featuring more than ninety trucks and 4,000 riders, this krewe shares the Elk mascot with its sister krewe, the Krewe of Elks-Orleanians. 11 am on the Veterans Memorial Boulevard route. neworleans.com.

Black Masking Mardi Gras Indians: See the intricate hand-beaded-and-feathered suits—traced back to the Native Americans who helped Africans enslaved in New Orleans escape—when dozens of tribes take to the streets Uptown, usually around 2nd and Dryades streets; and downtown, often near the Backstreet Cultural Museum in the Treme late morning to mid-day. Free. wwoz.org.