The parade last night we attended in conjunction with Jane's birthday party, with Jane and her friends, was nice. It is the biggest Mardi Gras parade of the season in my suburban parish (county) of Jefferson (which has huge number of parades and Mardi Gras activities). We are located about 10 minutes form New Orleans and have always considered this suburb as part of the city itself. The past few years on the first big weekend of the Mardi Gras season we have had an event in my parish called 'Family Gras'. But the kids didn't want to go to Family Gras, preferring to watch the parade at our usual spot near the beginning of it.
Family Gras is an event where Louisiana bands and feature artists from outside the area; perform at a stage and pedestrian are located on the parade route at mid point in the parade route, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of that weekend up until; and after the parade passes. Each of the three days at Family Gras has its own fun costume theme. Halloween costumes, for example, were Friday nights wear this year. People are encouraged to dress intheir best costume and compete for prizes as to which is best. While live bands play music for free, people in attendance can purchase some of the most unique food the world at the food booths staffed by some of the areas best restaurants that are on the grounds of Family Gras. So it is a part food fest, part costume fest and part parade site.
This weekend's artist included some oldie greats from the 1960’s and 70's, Herman’s Hermits , The Bangles, and Kansas, as well as Taylor Swift,;Elliott Yamin,; Billy Ray Cyrus and many local musicians. I would have preferred to see the parade Saturday there to watch Herman's Hermits,a band I like very much and that I saw live a few years ago here in New Orleans. That band almost re creates the 60's when performing. One time in the 60's Herman's Hermits were the number one band (sold the most records) in the world, with the Beatles in second place. But I assume you don'tknow them.
I like Family Gras because it promotes the suburban family Mardi Gras crowd in our suburban area. I doubt we take too many tourists away from the Mardi Gras in New Orleans itself, but is a clean, less raunchy alternative in Mardi Gras celebrations for we who live here, a small number of tourists, and many people in adjacent parishes..Anyway, back to the Caesar parade the kids saw last night. It was little cold but the parade was beautiful. This one had 29 huge double decker floats, many marching bands and other marching units of different sort.And the riders threw a huge amount; of goodies to the crowd. Among the throws we caught last night was a Mardi Gras next scarf; a pair of Mardi Gras panties (No, I am not wearing them!), candy and bags of chips, beads that included the old glass beads that have been re-introduced in recent years, trinkets of; many varieties, stuffed animals, lighted necklaces and; lighted beads, and assorted others I can not recall at the moment. The best part of our parades is competing to catch the throws. Only the hard of heart could not have a total addition to doing it.
What was also nice to see is how well behaved Jane's friends are. We parents of students in her class constantly say how lucky we are that the kids are all so wonderful to each other and everyone else they come in contact with every day of the year. The crowd of so many thousands of people interacting so well, having fun constructively and enthusiastically made for a nice activity for Jane's birthday party. Why it almost made me feel I was 14 years old again.