Mardi Gras is a carnival held on Shrove Tuesday, with New Orleans being the most famous for its spectacular parade. This year Madri Gras or Fat Tuesday is March 5 and is the last day of the carnival season. Visitors hoping to take part in the festive celebrations are advised to arrive no later than March 1 or 2 and to stay through until Ash Wednesday on March 6.
The parades are a major part of celebrating Mardi Gras and have played a major role in Mardi Gras history.
A krewe is any group or organisation to host a Mardi Gras ball and ride on a Mardi Gras parade float.
Many krewes have a theme to their parades each year and the floats, with up to 40 floats in any given parade, are created to reflect those themes.
Krewes work on the creations all year round and dozens of members will ride on each float.
The carnival season kicked off on January 6, known as Twelfth Night or the Epiphany, with three parades.
The season culminates on Mardi Gras day, which falls on March 5.
Parades
Wednesday, February 27
Krewe of Druids – 6.15pm
Krewe of Nyx – 7pm
Thursday, February 28
Knights of Babylon – 5.30pm
Knights of Chaos – 6.15pm
Krewe of Muses – 6.30pm
Friday, March 1
Krewe of Bosom Buddies – 11.30am
Krewe of Centurions – 6.30pm
Krewe of Hermes – 5.30pm
Krewe of d’Etat – 6.30pm
Krewe of Morpheus – 7pm
Krewe of Selene – 6.30pm
Original Krewe of Orpheus – 7pm
Saturday March 2
Krewe of Isis – 6.30pm
Krewe of Iris – 11am
Krewe of Tucks – 12pm
Krewe of NOMTOC – 10.45am
Krewe of Endymion – 4.15pm
Krewe of Bush – 9am
Sunday March 3
Krewe of Athena – 5.30pm
Krewe of Pandora – 6.30pm
Krewe of Okeanos – 11am
Krewe of Mid-City – 11.45am
Krewe of Thoth – 12pm
Krewe of Bacchus – 5.15pm
Monday March 4
Krewe of Proteus – 5.15pm
Krewe of Orpheus – 6pm
Tuesday March 5
Krewe of Argus – 10am
Krewe of Elks Jefferson – follows
Krewe of Jefferson – follows
Krewe of Zulu – 8am
Krewe of Rex – 10am
Krewe of Elks Orleans – follows
Krewe of Crescent City – follows
Covington Lions Club – 10am
Krewe of Covington – follows
Krewe of Folsom – 1.30pm
Krewe of Chahta – 1pm