Yardi Gras

Across the region, as Louisianans process the reality of a parade-less Mardi Gras this year, one can observe a collective shift from grief to acceptance, to determination. This will be a season of joie de vivre, yet! 

One creative approach to a (hopefully) atypical Mardi Gras at home has caught on all across the state: houses as floats. If we can't go to Mardi Gras, well by God, Mardi Gras will come to us. In the same spirit of excess and extravagance when it comes to the artistry of float-decorating, neighborhoods are getting makeovers straight out of storybooks—or maybe cartoons is a better way to describe it. Lights, glitter, giant embellished flowers and monsters and illusions of every kind. Some of these decorations are spontaneous, locals spreading the good old carnival esprit in their neighborhoods. But some are deeply coordinated efforts, such as that of New Orleans' Krewe of House Floats, created by Megan Boudreaux in what started as a joke on Twitter. The organization now boasts more than 7,500 members, making up thirty nine neighborhood subkrewes (including one made up of NOLA expats living outside of Louisiana), who are all organizing on Facebook to present an impressive parade of decked out homes all across New Orleans and beyond. The Krewe of House Floats map will be available to the public on February 1, perfect for a day of Mardi Gras driving/biking/walking tours like nothing the city has seen before. For those interested in participating as a krewe member, it is too late to land a spot on the map—but that doesn't mean you can't dress up your house. The Krewe of House Floats website (kreweofhousefloats.org) lists local businesses and artists who—largely out of work during this less active carnival season—would be thrilled to add some sparkle to your float. The website hireamardigrasartist.com, organized by the Krewe of Red Beans, encourages donations to local float artists. Everyone who donates is eligible to be selected as a float for professional decoration! Every time $15,000 is raised, another house gets chosen. As of press, seventeen houses were funded! 

In other cities, traditional krewes have refused to sit the year out—opting for a Yardi Gras style parade instead. Krewe de Canailles in Lafayette invites the entire community to participate in its driving tour "Oh the Places We Didn't Go" cruise through the city, featuring a map similar to New Orleans'. And in Baton Rouge, Mid City Gras introduces a Reverse Parade, with sub krewes decorating their homes to match the MASKerade theme of 2021. 

It's not too late to participate, with a krewe or without one, hell even if it's just for yourself. A little sparkle goes a long way, and Mardi Gras magic has a way of turning things around, upside down, and filling them with a sense of silliness and joy much needed this winter. And if you can, hire an artist to help you out.