The 2013 Carnival season in New Orleans will be a unique celebration as the Super Bowl will be held in the city right in the middle of Carnival. The first weekend of scheduled parades will be held a week earlier to accommodate the nation’s biggest sporting event but that just means that the Carnival celebrations in New Orleans will last one week longer, allowing locals and visitors alike to enjoy the party with a side helping of NFL football’s grandest event.
January 19, 2013 – Saturday
New Orleanian’s Pick: Twelfth Night celebrations on January 6 might be the official kickoff to Carnival but things really kick into high gear when the first parade rolls. Krewe du Vieux being the first parade of the season is appropriate which might be the only time anyone has ever mentioned the word “appropriate” when talking about this iconic parade. Krewe du Vieux is based around satire and the group holds nothing back in their humorous celebratory display. This is a must see parade if you can make it, but it might be best to leave the children at home for this night of revelry.
Krewe du Vieux (Marigny/French Quarter Route) rolls at 6:30 p.m.
Krewe Delusion (Marigny/French Quarter Route) rolls immediately following Krewe du Vieux
January 25, 2013 – Friday
New Orleanian’s Pick: The first full weekend of Carnival is a nice reminder of the mantra that all revelers should follow: Mardi Gras parades are a marathon, not a sprint. Pace yourself accordingly.
Krewe of Cork (French Quarter Route) rolls at 3:00 p.m.
Krewe of Oshun (Uptown Route) rolls at 6:00 p.m.
Krewe of Cleopatra (Uptown Route) rolls at 6:30 p.m.
January 26, 2013 – Saturday
New Orleanian’s Pick: The Krewe of Chewbacchus may not have the provenance and traditional pageantry that is often associated with other Mardi Gras krewes, but the parade should offer a refreshing new take on Carnival. All of the floats are self-propelled and all of the throws are made by members of the krewe, making this one of the most organic parades on the Carnival calendar. The king of Chewbacchus for 2013 will be Peter Mayhew. Yes, the man who played Chewbacca.
Krewe of Pontchartrain (Uptown Route) rolls at 2:00 p.m.
Krewe of Choctaw (Uptown Route) rolls immediately following Krewe of Pontchartrain
Knights of Sparta (Uptown Route) rolls 6:00 p.m.
Krewe of Pygmalion (Uptown Route) rolls at 6:45 p.m.
Krewe of Chewbacchus (Marigny Route) rolls at 8:00 p.m.
January 27, 2013 – Sunday
New Orleanian’s Pick: Bring Fido to the Krewe of Barkus, New Orleans’ only dog-focused Carnival parade, or just watch all the other doggies in this amazingly cute display of Mardi Gras revelry.
Krewe of Carrollton (Uptown Route) rolls at noon
Krewe of King Arthur and Merlin (Uptown Route) rolls at 1:15 p.m.
Krewe of Barkus (French Quarter Route) rolls over at 2:00 p.m.
February 6, 2013 – Wednesday
New Orleanian’s Pick: With only two parades rolling on Wednesday and a full week of Carnival ahead of you, this is a good time to heed my advice and pace yourself. Take in the parades, but remember that this is the most mild schedule you will encounter until Ash Wednesday.
Krewe of Ancient Druids (Uptown Route) rolls at 6:30 p.m.
Krewe of Nyx (Uptown Route) rolls at 7:00 p.m.
February 7, 2013 – Thursday
New Orleanian’s Pick: The Krewe of Muses is comprised entirely of women so this is a solid bet for men to catch some excellent throws and the Muses parade is noted for having some of the most desirable throws of any Mardi Gras parade. Catching a Muses shoe is one of the holy grails of Carnival throws.
Knights of Babylon (Uptown Route) rolls at 5:45 p.m.
Krewe of Muses (Uptown Route) rolls at 6:30 p.m.
Knights of Chaos (Uptown Route) rolls at 6:30 p.m.
February 8, 2013 – Friday
New Orleanian’s Pick: Krewe d’Etat is one of the most memorable spectacles of Carnival in New Orleans due in large part to the krewe’s unabashed political humor. The krewe mocks politicians and current events with their cleverly designed floats. The first Carnival after the 2012 Presidential election and the Saints bounty scandal should provide more than enough fodder for this snarky krewe.
Krewe of Hermes (Uptown Route) rolls at 6:00 p.m.
Krewe d’Etat (Uptown Route) rolls at 6:30 p.m.
Krewe of Morpheus (Uptown Route) rolls at 7:00 p.m.
February 9, 2013 – Saturday
New Orleanian’s Pick: Endymion is the largest of the Mardi Gras super krewes and is known for having the largest and most extravagant floats of any New Orleans Carnival parade. The Mid-City route also gives this iconic parade a fresh backdrop, making it a must see Carnival spectacle.
Krewe of Iris (Uptown Route) rolls at 11:00 a.m.
Krewe of Tucks (Uptown Route) rolls at noon
Krewe of Endymion (Mid-City Route) rolls at 4:15 p.m.
February 10, 2013 – Sunday
New Orleanian’s Pick: Take in the day parades and then gather at Fat Harry’s, Igor’s or Avenue Pub along the St. Charles parade route as you prepare for the main event, Bacchus. The day is commonly called Bacchus Sunday because the super krewe is known for its lavish and intricately designed floats. Pace yourself so you don’t miss the magic of Bacchus.
Krewe of Okeanos (Uptown Route) rolls at 11:00 a.m.
Krewe of Mid-City (Uptown Route) rolls at 11:45 a.m.
Krewe of Thoth (Uptown Route) rolls at noon
Krewe of Bacchus (Uptown Route) rolls at 5:15 p.m.
February 11, 2013 – Monday (Lundi Gras)
New Orleanian’s Pick: Orpheus brings its epic floats down St. Charles Avenue on Lundi Gras night just in time for you to have found your Mardi Gras groove. The Smokey Mary float is an icon of New Orleans Carnival and the fiber optic lighting adorning some of the krewe’s floats is the perfect visual for your Lundi Gras haze.
Krewe of Proteus (Uptown Route) rolls at 5:15 p.m.
Krewe of Orpheus (Uptown Route) rolls at 6:00 p.m.
February 12, 2013 – Tuesday (Mardi Gras)
New Orleanian’s Pick: It all comes down to Mardi Gras day. Wake up early, assuming you slept Monday night, and grab a pre-sunrise bloody mary. You will have to get to the parade route early due to the popularity of Zulu and Rex but your efforts will be well worth it. Zulu is arguably the most beautiful spectacle of New Orleans Carnival and the traditional pageantry of Rex is something that must be seen in order to say you truly attended Mardi Gras. If you are truly one of the lucky ones on Mardi Gras day, you will be able to snatch a Zulu coconut, one of the most prized of all Mardi Gras throws.
Krewe of Zulu (Uptown Route) rolls at 8:00 a.m.
Krewe of Rex (Uptown Route) rolls at 10:00 a.m.
Krewe of Elks Orleans (Uptown Route) rolls immediately following Rex
Krewe of Crescent City (Uptown Route) rolls immediately following Krewe of Elks Orleans
The contributor is a New Orleans resident and lifelong Carnival goer who counts Carnival 2006 and Carnival 2010 as two of the most memorable times in his life. Carnival 2006 was the first held after Hurricane Katrina and Carnival 2010 will forever be known as Lombardi Gras thanks to the New Orleans Saints victory in Super Bowl XLIV.
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