February 17, 2025
By Meag Campos, Project Manager
Listen to this week’s Hooray For Monday podcast to hear from Meag as she reflects on her community’s strength after the attack in New Orleans on January 1.
While we are more than a month into the new year, I find myself reflecting upon the cycles of change related to the celebration of the New Year.
Growing up, I vividly remember spending each year with my mother and her sister, my aunt, as we joyfully awaited the countdown to midnight. We’d put on our faux furs and light some small but beautiful “firecrackers” before sharing some sparkling grape juice. We’d relish in sharing our favorite memories from the year coming to a close as well as our hopes for the year to come. These were special days that I hold dear in my collection of memories.
As I grew older I found myself celebrating the New Year in a similar way but with new friends who became family as we created our own traditions. Then with little fanfare and an excited brother waiting, we welcomed our youngest son into our hearts and home on January 1, 2015. He was the first baby born in the hospital, and the volunteers in Labor and Delivery sent us home with a hand stitched blanket celebrating that fact. It wasn’t until the following year that I realized that our celebrations would shift yet again, this time with our son at the center. With some reframing we’ve settled on celebrating his birthday at midnight with fireworks and all, but instead of yelling “Happy New Year” when the countdown runs out, we yell “Happy Ezra’s birthday!” I consider it a special gift that we share in being able to celebrate him in this way.
Many of y’all may know that New Orleans is where I call home. NoLa, N’awlins, The Melting Pot of the South. My mother’s greatest source of pride, and the home of this year’s Super Bowl game. I truly live in one of the most magical places you’ll ever find. After celebrating another year around the sun for my son (and sun), we went to bed filled with the same bliss and hope often found with the coming of a new year.
I was awakened the next morning when my husband received a text. That’s when we found out. While we were in our blissful bubble of birthday joy, terror reigned on Bourbon Street less than twenty minutes from where we live. Something so sudden and catastrophic sent a surge of shock through our entire community. The New Year will forever be changed for my family and my city, and we will never forget the lives of those lost in this senseless act. We will shift into another cycle now focused on both celebration and remembrance.
New Orleans is widely known for its resilience. The word gets tossed around frequently in the aftermath of the sensational tragedies that have been endured throughout the city’s history, but there is little to be said about how the media sheds light on New Orleans otherwise. Because of this, I decided to write this piece about my city and Mardi Gras. Consider it a devoted op-ed to the place that I call home and that has left its mark on so many people.
January 6 marks the start of the Mardi Gras season with king cake sales beginning on this day.
Did you know that there are dozens of brands of king cake in New Orleans? There are now “King Cake Hubs” throughout the city which hold a variety of brands for people to try while only having to visit one stop. People even wait in line for the tastiest options!
Parades are developed by Krewes which are nonprofit social clubs with members who pay dues and help with fundraising efforts.
One popular krewe, the Krewe of Muses, is an all-female Mardi Gras crew with its focus rooted in philanthropy. The organization was established in 2001, and membership has closed due to their rapid expansion to more than 1,100 members. Differentiating it from other parades, the members of Muses spend time creating elaborate pieces of art out of old shoes. These shoes are coveted catches on the night of the parade with people displaying them in their homes as mementos of the evening. You can look at their beautiful shoes at the Krewe of Muses Instagram.
Mardi Gras lasts for a season with parades, celebratory balls, and community events beginning on January 6 and ending on Mardi Gras day.
Some Krewes benefit from high level funders and limit membership while others are more unconventional and open to all. They hold balls and other events for their members leading up to the scheduled days of their parades. Frequently, they will announce themes for their parades so that revelers can dress up and become a part of the festivities. Balls give locals the opportunity to get dressed up and to celebrate the season.
In response to the growth of “super Krewes” participating in Mardi Gras, there have been an increasing number of free, neighborhood-based parades popping up throughout the city. Mardi Gras is completely a celebration of the artistry of New Orleans. Endymi-US derives its name from the large and well established Krewe of Endymion, but this neighborhood group touts upcycled costumes, puppeteers, a stilt crew, dancers, and art galore! ‘Tit Rex is a small Krewe of artists who build shoebox floats on wheels that they roll down the street. Krewe Boheme stays away from traditional plastic throws like beads and instead involves members handing out works of art and other consumable throws specially created for the parade.
Dance troupes, walking clubs, and bands are a fan favorite during parades.
Local schools’ cheer teams, dance teams, and bands flaunt their skills in a variety of parades. Groups of dancers, walking clubs, and local musicians come together to add their flair to the parades as well. One impressive component of their participation is the fact that the performers are dancing, playing their instruments, and more all while walking the entire length of the parade.
The most prominent and highly regarded high school band in the area is that of St. Augustine High School. People recognize their purple and gold uniforms from down the road, and they flock to hear their skill! My family especially loves the Krewe da Bahn Gras dance crew representing the South Asian diaspora in New Orleans.
While New Orleans has certainly fared through its share of heartache and destruction, what makes our community special are the ways in which we gather together. We are a resilient community, yes, but we are also a community of artists, change-makers, and people who just want to have a good time. That’s what sets us apart. That’s what makes me so proud to call New Orleans my home.
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