Three parades will usher in the start of Mardi Gras by celebrating Twelfth Night.
Twelfth Night is a Christian festival of feasts, which is celebrated on the final day of the 12 Days of Christmas and marks the start of the Carnival season.
Three walking krewes will roll tonight; they are the Krewe of Joan of Arc, Phunny Phorty Phellows, and the Funky Uptown Krewe.
The 14th Annual Joan of Arc procession rolls tonight at 7 p.m. It will make a few pauses for some medieval pageantry, and ends around 8:30 p.m.:
- A toast to the royalty and young Joan “Maid of Honor” in English and French from the balcony of the Historic New Orleans Collection
- A sword blessing at Saint Louis Cathedral by The Very Reverend Father Philip Landry
- A pause to sing Happy Birthday at the Joan of Arc statue
- The crowning of the king and king cake ceremony at the end at Oscar Dunn Park (the sidewalk amphitheater next to Cafe Du Monde).
Check out a map of the full parade route here.
The walking krewe that takes a streetcar instead of walking also rolls tonight.
The costumed and masked krewe of The Phunny Phorty Phellows will assemble at the Willow Streetcar Barn off S. Carrolton Avenue at 6:15 p.m. and will board the streetcar at 7 p.m. sharp. There they will “parade" aboard the streetcar as it rolls down the uptown streetcar line.
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The route will be a shorter route beginning at Erato St. due to construction on the streetcar line.
Check out the full route here.
The Funky Uptown Krewe will join the other krewes in ushering in Mardi Gras.
Funky Uptown Krewe rolls tonight at 7 p.m. The route is shortened due to city construction.
- Departs at 7pm from Bouree, 1510 S. Carrollton Ave.
- Follows the St. Charles streetcar line all through Uptown
- Turns around on Erato St.
- Heads back through down St. Charles Ave.
- Finishes the ride at ride at Fat Harry's, 4330 St Charles Ave.
Check out the Funky Uptown Krewe route by clicking here.