⚜️The Weekend Mardi Gras Really Comes Alive
Mardi Gras season's heating up. We're 10 days out from Fat Tuesday, and this weekend — February 6-8: the parades are starting to roll in full force. Friday night, Krewe of Oshun and Cleopatra hit the streets. Saturday, Pontchartrain, Sparta, and Pygmalion take over Uptown. Sunday brings King Arthur rolling through. If you've been waiting for the real Mardi Gras energy to kick in, this is it. King Cake season's in full swing, the colors are everywhere, and Louisiana's about to do what we do best. This is Carnival season in full swing, and here's what you need to know about what's happening this week across Louisiana.
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN YOUR AREA CODE
504 (New Orleans Metro)
image source-Getty images
Thursday, February 5 — 'tit Rəx rolls through the Marigny. This miniature walking parade is one of the most creative and offbeat traditions in New Orleans. Shoebox floats, handmade throws, and pure New Orleans weirdness.
Friday, February 6 — Krewe of Oshun parades through Uptown at 5:30 PM. This all-female Krewe celebrates African and Caribbean culture with vibrant floats and high-energy throws.
Friday, February 6 — Krewe of Cleopatra rolls right after Oshun at 6:30 PM. One of the biggest all-female Krewes in the city, known for massive crowds and incredible throws.
Saturday, February 7 — Krewe of Pontchartrain kicks off at 11:30 AM on the Uptown route. This is when the parades start coming fast and furious.
Saturday, February 7 — Krewe of Sparta follows Pontchartrain in the afternoon. Expect big crowds and serious throw action.
Saturday, February 7 — Krewe of Pygmalion wraps up Saturday night on the Uptown route.
Sunday, February 8 — Krewe of King Arthur rolls through Uptown at 1 PM. Family-friendly parade with a medieval theme and plenty of throws for the kids.
225 (Baton Rouge & Surrounding Parishes)
image source-Getty images
Friday, February 6 — Krewe of Artemis rolls through Baton Rouge. Baton Rouge's first and only all-female parading Krewe bringing that New Orleans energy to the Capital City.
Saturday, February 7 — Krewe of Orion's 26th annual parade takes over downtown Baton Rouge. One of the biggest and most anticipated parades in the Capital City.
Saturday, February 7 — Krewe of Ascension Mambo Parade in Gonzales. This year's theme is "Parading Through the Decades." The route starts on Irma Blvd. and turns left on Burnside.
Sunday, February 8 — Mid City Gras Parade rolls down North Boulevard in Baton Rouge, starting at 19th Street and ending at Baton Rouge Community College. One of the most unique parade routes in the city.
337 (Acadiana & Southwest Louisiana)
image source-Amy Harris/The Travel Addict
Friday, February 6 — Lil La Riviére Mardi Gras Parade & Chicken Chase in Krotz Springs. This is the kids' version of the traditional Courir, complete with a chicken chase through the streets.
Saturday, February 7 — Courir de Mardi Gras de L'anse in Morse. Traditional masked riders on horseback going house to house in Mermentau Cove, begging for gumbo ingredients. This is the real deal.
Saturday, February 7 — La Rivière Mardi Gras Chicken Run and Parade in Krotz Springs. The adult version — riders in full costume chasing live chickens through muddy fields while accordion music plays in the background.
Saturday, February 7 — Lebeau Mardi Gras Festival in Lebeau. One of the most authentic rural Mardi Gras celebrations in St. Landry Parish, with live music, dancing, and traditional Courir festivities.
Saturday, February 7 — Rayne Mardi Gras Parade and Cookoff in Rayne. The parade kicks off at 2 PM on American Legion Drive and ends at the Rayne Civic Center, where the gumbo cookoff will be in full swing.
985 (Northshore & Bayou Country)
image source-Gettyimages
Friday, February 6 — Krewe of Omega Parade in Hammond. This co-ed Krewe brings New Orleans-style Mardi Gras energy to the Northshore with a full parade rolling through downtown Hammond.
Saturday, February 7 — Krewe of Versailles in Larose. Louisiana's Cajun Bayou knows how to throw a parade, and Versailles is one of the most popular on the bayou.
Saturday, February 7 — Kentwood Mardi Gras Parade in Kentwood. Rolls at noon on Saturday. Small-town Mardi Gras with big heart and plenty of local pride.
Sunday, February 8 — Krewe of Shaka in Thibodaux. One of the most anticipated parades in Bayou Country, drawing crowds from all over Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes.
Sunday, February 8 — Krewe of Ambrosia in Thibodaux. Back-to-back parades in Thibodaux make Sunday the place to be if you're anywhere near the bayou.
Sunday, February 8 — Krewe Des Couyons in Golden Meadow. Pure Cajun Bayou Mardi Gras rolling through Golden Meadow with that laid-back, authentic Louisiana vibe.
318 (North Louisiana)
image source-Flickr by cajunzydecophotos
Saturday, February 8 — Krewe of Gemini Mardi Gras Parade in Shreveport. North Louisiana's biggest Mardi Gras parade rolls through downtown Shreveport with massive floats and thousands of people lining the streets.
Saturday, February 8 — Krewe of Centaur Mardi Gras Parade in Shreveport. Rolls right after Gemini, keeping the party going through downtown.
Sunday, February 9 — Krewe of Highland Parade in Shreveport. The final big parade of the weekend in North Louisiana, wrapping up Shreveport's Mardi Gras celebrations before Fat Tuesday week.
Feature Story
February 7, 2010- This week in Louisiana history
saints parade.jpg
The biggest parade in Louisiana history—and there's only been one
On February 7, 2010, the New Orleans Saints defeated the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 in Super Bowl XLIV. Drew Brees earned MVP honors. Tracy Porter's 74-yard interception return sealed it. Louisiana had its first major professional sports championship.
Any Louisianan watching that game remembers exactly where they were the moment Tracy Porter intercepted that ball.
Two days later, over 800,000 people flooded the streets of New Orleans for the victory parade. It was the largest gathering in Louisiana history—bigger than any Mardi Gras, bigger than any festival, bigger than anything the state had ever seen. The parade route stretched for miles. People hung from balconies, stood on rooftops, climbed streetlights just to get a glimpse. The Superdome—the same building that had been a shelter of last resort during Katrina just four and a half years earlier—was now the center of a celebration that felt like the city exhaling after holding its breath for decades.
The Saints had been a punchline for 43 years. A franchise defined by paper bags, losing seasons, and bad luck. But this wasn't just about football. This was about what the city had survived. What the people had rebuilt. What they refused to let go of.
And two days later, Louisiana threw the biggest parade it's ever thrown—not for Carnival kings or krewe captains, but for a team that finally gave the city something it had been waiting a lifetime to celebrate.
The biggest parade Louisiana ever threw wasn't on any normal Carnival schedule. It was decades in the making.
Can You Guess This Name?
This name came straight from France to Acadia, then Louisiana. It's one of the most common names you'll see across south Louisiana today.
The original meaning? "Bold people" or "brave."
In German, the root breaks down to "theud" (people) and "bald" (bold). When the Acadians were exiled from Canada in the 1700s and resettled in Louisiana, this name came with them and spread through Cajun country.
If you're from Lafourche, Terrebonne, or anywhere in Acadiana, you've probably known at least a dozen people with this name. It's sewn into the fabric of Louisiana—found on business signs, rosters, mailboxes, and gravestones from generation to generation.
It represents resilience. Boldness. A people who survived exile and rebuilt in a new land.
The name: Thibodeaux
image source -Getty Images
Louisiana Classics-Mulates "The Original Cajun Restaurant"
Mulate's has been serving real Cajun food in New Orleans since 1990, using recipes passed down from founder Kerry Boutté's mother, Ida. Live Cajun music seven nights a week, and if you've ever tried their gumbo or crawfish étouffée, you know you'll be coming back again. This is Cajun culture—food, music, and people—the way it was meant to be.
201 Julia Street, New Orleans
Free Giveaway – Your Last Name Family Heritage Video
Every subscriber is automatically entered into our ongoing Last Name Family Heritage Video giveaway. As long as you’re subscribed, you’ll continue to have chances to win, no extra steps required.
Here’s what our most recent winner, Miss Loria, shared after receiving hers:
“I absolutely love it. Thank you so much.”
To purchase a last name video from me, here’s the link- https://stan.store/LetGeauxLouisiana
A Final Note
Carnival season moves fast. Parades roll, crowds gather, and before you know it, the whole thing's over and we're back to regular life.
Spend this time with family and friends—it's what makes it all matter.
Enjoy it while it's here. The beads, the music, the chaos—it only comes once a year.
Until next time,
Michael
