Need help with Parades on Jan 26th

[stevecw]

We are doing a 2 day pre-cruise stay in NOLA for our Jan 27th cruise. We were hoping to catch a Mardi Gras parade on Saturday, Jan 26th. I have looked at the parade schedules, but I am not real familiar with the different areas, so I am not sure where these parades are. We are staying in the Warehouse district near the convention center and we have been there a few times before and are pretty familiar with that area, and I can find my way around Jackson Square and the Bourbon Street area fairly well. I don't see any parades on Saturday for the French Quarter, but see several for "Uptown" and one for "West Bank". I don't know what/where these areas are, and if they are anywhere near where we will be. Need some help from someone who's been there/done that to help me out to see if any of these parades are in an area we can easily get to on foot or via the street cars (planning on getting the all day passes to get around). Any help/advice is appreciated.

[jgmpuma]

All of the "uptown" parades end up downtown, with some variations at the end of their routes. If you are in the warehouse district, you will be in fairly easy walking distance.

Parade schedules and routes are here:

http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/schedule.html/

[stevecw]

jgmpuma - the link you have here is the same I was using to get the list of Parades. Whenever I click on one of the parades, it then gives me the parade history and there is a button for the parade route. I click on the parade route button - and it just shows the parade history again. Maybe the routes are not in yet?? Maybe I'm doing something wrong?? I also tried the "View Interactive Parade Routes" link from the main 2013 Mardi Gras Parade Schedule page, and I get the same result - just a parade history with no route.

Could you tell us a good street intersection/area to go too for viewing these parades as they get downtown?

[ellieanne]

The routes may not be finalized yet, but anywhere along St. Charles Avenue from Lee Circle to Canal Street will be a great place to see any of the Uptown Parades. You can check with the Front Desk at your hotel and they'll direct you.

Also, you may need to check with the Front Desk to get an arm band to mark you as a hotel guest -- during the Mardi Gras season, many downtown hotels are locked to anyone but registered guests. I would print out your confirmation and have a hard copy with you for check-in, in case the hotel is in Mardi Gras lock-down mode.

Be prepared for traffic delays and difficulty getting across the parade routes -- so you may have trouble getting into the French Quarter from your location, as you have to cross the route to get there. Also, some downtown restaurants may have crazy hours or limited menus. Note too that the St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street Streetcars will not run while the streets are closed for parades. Taxi service may be interrupted or re-routed to compensate for closed streets.

I'll be happy to answer any other questions you may have.

[stevecw]

ellieanne - thanks for this valuable information. We will be sure and check with the hotel at check-in about arm bands, and any other info they can provide. Also good to know about the street cars since that will be our primary transportation around the area besides walking.

We have never seen a parade for Mardi Gras in NOLA before - so they will all be new to us. From the list of parades on Saturday, Jan 26th - is there any that you would recommend over others?

[olemissreb]

I used to march in the Krewe Of Ponchartrain, but that was 30+ years ago and it was up in New Orleans East - no where near downtown. They must have changed their route, possibly as a result of Katrina (?). It was a great parade to march in even if we were always stuck behind the Budweiser Clydesdales!

Looking at the schedule if you decide on the Krewe of Ponchartrain since the Krewe of Choctaw is immediately afterwards, you could get 2 "for the price of 1".

As I said - it's been 30+ years since I participated and so much has changed. Without the routes, I couldn't tell you which would be best. Personally I'd go for the ones that go along the same routes. Just remember NEVER reach down for any beads or doubloons - it's a good way to get your hand crushed. Stomp on them first and when the crowd clears then reach down and pick it up.

[stevecw]

Originally Posted by olemissreb

I used to march in the Krewe Of Ponchartrain, but that was 30+ years ago and it was up in New Orleans East - no where near downtown. They must have changed their route, possibly as a result of Katrina (?). It was a great parade to march in even if we were always stuck behind the Budweiser Clydesdales!

Looking at the schedule if you decide on the Krewe of Ponchartrain since the Krewe of Choctaw is immediately afterwards, you could get 2 "for the price of 1".

As I said - it's been 30+ years since I participated and so much has changed. Without the routes, I couldn't tell you which would be best. Personally I'd go for the ones that go along the same routes. Just remember NEVER reach down for any beads or doubloons - it's a good way to get your hand crushed. Stomp on them first and when the crowd clears then reach down and pick it up.

I like 2 for 1 - Hope that works out for us. I will also follow your advice about reaching down for the goodies. I really don’t want to board the cruise ship with my hand in a cast - that would make snorkeling a real challenge. Sorry about the Clydesdales - I have seen many times what they can lay down. Worked for Budweiser for many years in STL, and I used to see those big guys all the time.

[jgmpuma]

Most of the krewes like Pontchartrain moved their parade routes downtown many years pre-K., for a number of reasons, and many of the old neighborhood krewes disappeared because they could not compete with the "supercrews" like Endymion. Pontchartrain was always a great parade, which is why they survived. We saw it every year.

In 2013, Mardi Gras will be competeing with the Superbowl. Some parades have been re-scheduled, and that may be why you can't get accurate route information yet. Wait until a month or so before Mardi Gras, and current info will be available.

[stevecw]

Thanks everyone for the responses and information. We are looking forward to seeing our first parade in NOLA next Jan.

[olemissreb]

Originally Posted by jgmpuma

Most of the krewes like Pontchartrain moved their parade routes downtown many years pre-K., for a number of reasons, and many of the old neighborhood krewes disappeared because they could not compete with the "supercrews" like Endymion. Pontchartrain was always a great parade, which is why they survived. We saw it every year.

In 2013, Mardi Gras will be competeing with the Superbowl. Some parades have been re-scheduled, and that may be why you can't get accurate route information yet. Wait until a month or so before Mardi Gras, and current info will be available.

Yeah other than marching behind the Clydesdales, Pontchartrain was always a great parade. My high school band had the big "q-tip" hats and the guys/gals on the floats were always so accommodating about dropping bunches of beads and doubloons in our hats! Made marching in them a challenge trying to keep them on our heads, but it sure was fun! I remember sitting on our bus waiting for the end of the parade my Senior year and as a float turned the corner where our bus was, they had to stop and we were all hanging out the windows trying to get more goodies. Some of us were lucky enough to get a small bottle of wine with a set of doubloons! Some of us that did were smart enough to put them in our hats and didn't get them confiscated by the band director! LOL

[ellieanne]

Pontchartrain is a nice parade. Choctaw is usually a Westbank Parade, but because Mardi Gras is split in 2013 by the Superbowl, it had to run on the Uptown route, so it's a special 2013 Parade route. Personally I prefer the night parades, but any parade is worth seeing.

[cruzin lady]

I have another question for you. Do you think we'll have trrouble getting a cab from the cruiseport back to the Hampton InnGarden Dist. to get our car on Sat. morning Jan.26? We will be heading to the Ponchetrain causeway when we get back to the car.

Thank you for all the help you're giving us.

Cruzin Lady

[jgmpuma]

There are always plenty of cabs waiting. You should have no problem finding one.