Mardi Gras countdown begins: New Orleans kicks off carnival season with streetcar rides and festive parades

Mardi Gras festivities are set to begin Saturday in New Orleans with the start of the Carnival season. A group of party-goers in costumes and a brass band plan to board a streetcar for a night ride down the renowned St. Charles Avenue. Simultaneously, a walking club in the French Quarter will conduct its annual procession paying homage to Joan of Arc. Carnival season in New Orleans connects strongly with Christian and Roman Catholic traditions and starts on January 6, carrying forward till Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday – the day before the beginning of Lent.

Renowned for its Mardi Gras Celebration, New Orleans hosts an array of festivities including street parties, grand balls, and parades. Other areas of Louisiana and Gulf Coast also observe Mardi Gras, with Mobile, Alabama boasting the oldest Mardi Gras rituals in the nation.

Saturday’s events feature the annual streetcar ride by the Phunny Phorty Phellows, a masked and costumed group who ride the New Orleans streetcar, a practice which dates back to 1981. A parade by the Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc, which honours the French heroine, will also take place in the French Quarter. This year, a delegation from Orléans, France is set to be present.

Setting the backdrop of a unique blend of culture and commerce, Mardi Gras also receives a warm welcome from locals and proves to be beneficial for the city’s largely tourism dependent economy. Despite the setback due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, it's suggested the sector has made a significant recovery.

The season of Mardi Gras varies every year as it depends on the shifting dates of Easter and Lent. This year, it is a relatively short season ending on February 13. A range of larger parades is set to roll out from February 2.

As the Joan of Arc parade concludes, the attendees will herald the arrival of Carnival with a ceremonious sharing of the king cake, a pastry speciality of the season. Amid concerns regarding crime, additional support came from neighbouring police departments and Louisiana State Police.