Carnival Parades

Saturday was cold and misty, but nonetheless, I trecked on downtown to see the parades and begin my carnival season. The crowds were much smaller than last year, way smaller. I worry for the local businesses and hope that the weather was to blame, knowing that probably next weekend and Mardi gras will bring larder crowds and more tourists.

The parades were shorter as well. Generally each Krewe will have around 30 floats, and their parade will take over an hour. Today it seemed like the total of all 5 parades was little more than 35 or 40 floats and the afternoon of parades ended only around 2 hours after they began. It was just as well because as I was walking to my car, it started to rain a bit, and I was ready to get out of the cold.

I don't mean to come off as pessimistic. I had a great time; I caught plenty of beads, and I enjoyed the floats, marching bands, costumes, and seeing the children enjoy the festivities, still with a sense of wonder in their eyes.

I guess I need to accept that this year, Mardi Gras will be different. It may be scaled down and have a more somber tone, but I think the celebrations are just what this city needs right now. After almost six months of devastation and setbacks, it's nice to have something different to talk about beyond, "did your house get flooded?" and "do you know when that place will reopen?"