Sunday I had an interesting day in Nine Mile Point, Louisiana.

( Hidden architectural treasure rediscovered; photos and more )

Saturday Night: Royal Band for a Carnival Ball.

Added attraction: Froggy answers a Mardi Gras question.

( Look, see )

I'm finally getting around to our next installment: Daytime Porch Band Parties on Fat Saturday.

On the Saturday before Mardi Gras I went to a couple of parties with good bands on the front porch.

( Details and pix )

Our second instalment has more local color.

The Krewe of OAK parades in my neighborhood of New Orleans(Carrollton) the Friday night before Mardi Gras. I love the small neighborhood celebrations with home-made floats and costumes. This is part of the Mardi Gras season celebrations that the tourists don't get to. OAK starts and ends on Oak Street, ( Read more... )

I'm going to do my Carnival 2005 pix in chronological order. First is a typical daytime Uptown parade: Knights of King Arthur parade. This is probably the batch of least interest to New Orleans Carnival veterans, but gives out of towners a good example of the "standard" parades not known for any special artistic or satrical merit.

( see the snapshots & such )