Sunday, February 19, 2006

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?"

4 Comments:

At 10:43 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Your pics are fun--can't wait to see the ones from this coming weekend! fam in KC

 
At 10:06 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Looks like a good time! Hope you had fun!

 
At 8:17 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm so glad you posted your pics! MYA.

 
At 10:34 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

jane...how fun...ya know my parents were some of those crazies...i attended mardi gras when i was little...all my family is from new orleans area! and yes, mardi gras is one last hoorah before the sacrifices of lent begins...but i think that some people have taken that in the wrong direction with flashing and over drinking and such. anyone would be able to figure out that no christian would support those things...but where i come...being Catholic and French and being raised among the new Orleans atmosphere...my thoughts are: people who have turned Mardi Gras in new orleans into what it is now...flashing and drunkedness...have no concept of God anyway, and they are not exemplifying what the religious beginning of the carnival season is all about. so the fundamentalists being there are irrelevant. Just becasue one claims to be religious does not mean they are right. I still celebrate mardi gras every year. My family makes a King Cake, we eat together and enjoy family and the fruits of the earth. Our "last hoorah" is meaningful without the things Christianity deems immoral. Then, on Ash wednesday, we got to Mass, praise God, knowing that we are all there to support one another through another season of Lent...sacrifice - and hopefully improving our spiritual nature and moving farther along on our journey.

 

Post a Comment

<< Home