The top 5 family-friendly parades at Mardi Gras
Who says Mardi Gras can’t be kid friendly? Contrary to popular belief, this fantastic event does have PG rated parades that your kids will love to experience. Mardi Gras is and always will be a family celebration so don’t let a couple of naysayers tell you otherwise. The best end of the parades for families are the Uptown side, far away from Bourbon Street and its notorious reputation.
Phone’s off the hook? Good. Here are a couple of kid friendly Mardi Gras parades that the whole family can enjoy:
1. The Rex parade
The Rex has been ruling Mardi Gras ever since it was introduced to the streets back in 1872. The display is the penultimate celebration of all New Orleans has to offer The Rex Organization opens its doors that year and has carried out this tradition ever since.
With their signature song If Ever I Cease To Love You blaring in the background and with its parade decked out in traditional purple, gold and green, their floats are a sight to see. One of the most popular additions was introduced in the 1960s which includes scattering gold doubloons in the crowd.
2. The Zulu parade
The Zulu parade is considered to be the most alluring and attractive out of the rest and the credit goes to the defining costumes worn by its performers. Encapsulating African history, the dresses define a number of eras which makes them quite educational and exciting.
The name Zulu is based on an African tribe that dates back to the early 1900s and it has been graced with a number of notable figures, including Louis Armstrong. The parade itself merges African and New Orleans’s history and has the best throw of Mardi Gras – the Zulu coconut.
3. The Krewe of Caesar
Taking its name from an iconic historical figure, the Krewe of Caesar comprises of a whopping 800 men and women in full costume. It is also has ties with the largest Carnival organization and is known for the eye catching costumes which mimic those worn by members of the Royal Court.
The enormous collars which were all the rage back in the day, get a modern and psychedelic twist with neon lights and fiber optics. Notable figures such as famed baseball player, Billy Martin and pop star David Archuleta have also made an appearance in past parades. Wonder who it will be this time around.
4. Under the Big Top
The name should be enough to give it away. Representing the city’s vibrant circus arts, this parade is filled with knife throwers, clowns and escape artists that spectators cannot get enough of.
Most of the performances run in tandem with the carnival season such as Cirque Copine’s In Wonderland performance which is performed by an all female troupe. Besides this troupe, Cirque de So Lune which is held at the Carver Theatre, also makes an appearance during the carnival. The floats feature a number of genuine circus performers and boasts a fantastic musical lineup
5. Crew of Bacchus
The Crew of Bacchus is notorious for breaking tradition which it did back in the 1960s when it staged a late night parade with floats that were bigger and way better than anything Carnival goers had ever seen. The move was risky but paid off. Now, the crew has over 1000 members and more than 30 animated floats and is known as one of the most spectacular arrangements that have ever graced Mardi Gras.
The signature floats include Rendezvous supper dance which encapsulates the entertainment which you can find in Las Vegas. Notable celebs that graced the floats in this crew include William Shatner, Dick Clark and Kirk Douglas to name a few. One thing is for sure – Crew of Bacchus breaks from tradition in ways that result in spectacular colors and spectacles that the whole family will surely enjoy.
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