Mardi Gras 2010 Part 1: Parades, Parades, and More Parades

No food today, just pictures of some pre-Mardi Gras happenings.

Part 2 will include Boucherie pictures and Fat Tuesday celebrations, Cajun style.


Our Carnival celebrations started a bit late this year due to my work schedule.  But our start date was fitting since it was also Super Bowl Sunday.  We went to a nice family-oriented parade in Scott, LA.  Caught the parade at the very beginning so we could rush home for the Super Bowl.  I probably don't have to tell you what the theme of most of the floats ended up being.

There was a different feel to the Scott parade this year--more excitement b/c the Saints would play later that evening.  It seemed that everyone was about to bust over the anticipation.

I thought the parade was also interesting because it touched on New Orleans Mardi Gras parades with floats and riders throwing beads and cups. I also heard a New Orleans Mardi Gras classic: "Mardi Gras Mambo" playing from one of the floats. But the Scott parade also had elements of the Cajun Mardi Gras--several float riders wore traditional Courir de Mardi Gras costumes on the more wagon-like floats and played the Cajun Mardi Gras classic "La Chanson de Mardi Gras." It was a nice blend of two different Mardi Gras styles.

And The Boy definitely had fun.

By the end of the week, we had snow. The second time this winter...once was definitely odd, but twice? 
Well, the Saints did win.

The snow melted quickly and we drove to New Orleans to catch some parades.  No big name parades this year--it was a short and unexpected trip.  It was damp and cold with a sharp wind and no one felt like standing around for hours staking out a parade-viewing spot.  A bunch of my extended family met up at my Grandma's to visit.  When I was younger, we'd do this during Carnival season and my grandpa would make beignets.

Only my dad was brave (foolish) enough to go out with us to the parade that night.  It was COLD.  The theme of this parade focused on different types of parties found in New Orleans...the floats featured foods and activities associated with them.

Like Red Beans & Rice

Seafood boils

Or going to a basketball game. New Orleans is home of the Hornets...although this float was very careful not to actually have the words "Hornets" visible anywhere. Guess everyone was gun shy from the whole NFL/Who Dat thing?

And my favorite beignets and cafe au lait

The next day, we walked down to my mom and dad's corner in Algiers, LA (across the river from NO) and saw the NOMTOC parade (New Orleans Most Talked of Club).  This parade is organized by the Jugs Social Club and features lots of marching bands, dance groups, and horse riders.

There were floats too...
The state bird

New Orleans Zephyrs Baseball

And another Hornets float that doesn't say Hornets.  Hmmm...

And if that wasn't enough for one weekend, we drove back to Eunice to participate in the annual Old Tyme Boucherie.  I've mentioned Boucheries before...this is an event where families and neighbors came together to butcher a hog.  Since there was no refrigeration, everyone split the meat.  Nothing was wasted; the entire hog was used..."Everything but the Squeak." 

Pictures from the Boucherie, including making cracklins, will come later.  I thought since this is supposed to be a food blog, that deserved a little bit of spotlight.

After the Boucherie, the Children's Mardi Gras came back to town after a day of chicken-chasing (more on that in the next post too).  The Lil' Mardi Gras, paraded through downtown, throwing beads to everyone who lined the street to watch.

Lil' Mardi Gras arrives downtown

Tossing a cup to the crowd

I can tell these girls had a good time chasing chickens. 
That snow turns to mud down here, ya'll

More about chicken chasing and a boucherie up next.  Plus maybe a song...