The holiday of Mardi Gras is celebrated in all of
Louisiana,
including the city of New Orleans. Celebrations are concentrated for about two weeks before and
through Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday (the start of lent in the Western Christian
tradition).
Usually there is one major parade each day (weather permitting); many days have
several
large parades. The largest and most elaborate parades take place the last five days of the Mardi
Gras season. In the final week, many events occur throughout New Orleans and surrounding
communities, including parades and balls (some of them masquerade balls).
The parades in New Orleans are organized by social
clubs known as krewes; most follow the same parade schedule and route each year.
The
earliest-established krewes were the Mistick Krewe of Comus, the earliest, Rex, the Knights of Momus
and the Krewe of Proteus.
Several modern "super krewes" are well known for holding large
parades
and
events, such as the Krewe of Endymion (which is best known for naming celebrities as grand marshals
for their parades), the Krewe of Bacchus (similarly known for naming celebrities as their Kings), as
well as the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club—a predominantly African American krewe.
Float riders traditionally toss throws into the
crowds.
The most common throws are strings of colorful plastic beads, doubloons, decorated
plastic
"throw cups", Moon Pies, and small inexpensive toys. Major krewes follow the same parade
schedule
and route each year.
While many tourists center their Carnival season activities on
Bourbon
Street,
major parades originate in the Uptown and Mid-City districts and follow a route along St.
Charles
Avenue and Canal Street, on the upriver side of the French Quarter.
Walking parades -
most
notably
the Krewe du Vieux and Chewbacchus - also take place downtown in the Faubourg Marigny and French
Quarter in the weekends preceding Mardi Gras day.
LaToya Cantrell (née Wilder; born April 3, 1972) is an American politician serving as the Mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana, a post she has held since May 7, 2018. A Democrat, Cantrell is the first woman to hold the post. Before becoming mayor, Cantrell represented District B on the New Orleans City Council from 2012–2018.
Cantrell was
inaugurated as
mayor on May 7, 2018, the first woman to hold the position in the city's history. Once in
office, she established a new Office of Youth and Families, with the goal of creating a strategic
plan to address families in crisis in the city. Cantrell also founded a Gun Violence Reduction
Council, tasked with finding solutions to violent crime.
Starting with a push to rededicate
hotel taxes collected within the city for city use, Cantrell has focused on her #fairshare
initiative to improve city infrastructure, public transportation, public parks, and green
spaces. As part of that initiative, in October 2018 the City of New Orleans filed a lawsuit
against four opioid manufacturers and distributors. During the 2019 session of the Louisiana
Legislature, Cantrell negotiated the Fair Share Agreement with Governor John Bel Edwards and city,
state, and tourism officials. The agreement secured $50 million in upfront funding for the city's
infrastructure needs as well as $26 million in annual recurring revenue for the city.
Following the approval of the Fair Share Agreement, New Orleans voters approved 3 of the 4 proposals Mayor Cantrell and the City Council put on the ballot in the 2019 general election. Voters approved a $500 million bond sale and a tax on short-term rental properties, as well the establishment of a Human Right Commission under the New Orleans Home Rule Charter.