Mardi Gras 2021

Not Sponsored: Each year, I write about Mardi Gras. It gives me such joy, to talk about the festivities that happen in New Orleans. Mardi Gras was cancelled this year due to the ongoing covid-19 pandemic, but that didn't stop the people of New Orleans from celebrating. Something beautiful and exciting happened. #House Floats and #YardiGras. Parades were cancelled, so home owners decorated their homes like floats. They are so beautiful! Log onto Twitter and use the hashtags above to see them all. Over 3,000 people participated. Some people crafted their own decorations. Others employed local artists to decorate their homes. Its all so beautiful to see. Krewe of House Floats is the brainchild of Megan Bourdreaux (read her story here). From their website, "The Krewe of House Floats (KoHF) is a socially-distant Mardi Gras krewe founded under the belief that if we cannot safely gather together on the parade route in 2021, then we can bring the spirit of the parades home to celebrate the Carnival season in a pandemic-safe manner that supports our friends, neighbors, local culture-bearers and locally owned businesses." I believe this is a new tradition that is here to stay. Below is a video showcasing some of the House Floats. My favorites are the circus, dinosaur and beauty & the beast themed mansions on St. Charles Avenue. Another home's theme was Prince. There was also a home featuring the late Leah Chase of Dooky Chase Restaurant. It showcased a smoking gumbo pot. If you would like to help New Orleans musicians, artists and service industry workers, please click on the following link for a comprehensive list. I also love the new Crystal Hot Sauce commercial.