In a story in today's TP/Advocate entitled "Hatred, threats cited for withdrawal," writer Doug MacCash explains that it wasn't fear of COVID that caused her to decide not to ride as Queen of KdV but was for personal safety issues. "Because of the recent 're-imposition of mitigation measures, the level of negativity and hatred' directed at city officials has significantly increased,'" Agegno said in a letter to krewe members.

Initial reports from the krewe that her withdrawal was due to “due to concern for public and krewe health and safety” caused concern and confusion in the Mardi Gras community
since it seemed to imply her move was COVID-related.

MIXED MESSAGE?

The Krewe du Vieux parade on February 12 that runs through the Marigny and French Quarter, is cutting its 2022 parade route, starting at Elysian Fields Avenue and Royal Street instead of Press and Royal streets, officials announced Monday. The City’s Health Director, Dr. Jennifer Avegno, the club’s 2022 queen, will not ride in the parade “due to concern for public and krewe health and safety.”

This surprise announcement seems contrary to the city’s general position that a safe Mardi Gras is what we anticipate. Carnival insiders also ask why was the shortened route not decided until three weeks before the parade. And if the NOPD can staff a Bacchus super-parade uptown on Sunday, February 27, why can’t it handle a small pre-season walking parade in the Marigny and French Quarter on Saturday, February 12?

IMPORTANT MEETING

The final pre-Mardi Gras meeting of the Mayor’s Mardi Gras Advisory Council is set for this Thursday. Many krewe captains are looking for clarity on COVID rules for riders and other parade participants, as well as details on mask mandates in place for Carnival balls.

THE BIGGEST ROUTE CHANGE

The Krewe of Thoth gained a lot of community support to get the early portion of their route reinstated so they could fulfill their mission as the “krewe of shut-ins,” but the City would not budge on its decision to cut the first 28 blocks of the route. Thoth had offered to eliminate the final leg of its route in exchange for being able to retain the front end of its parade route, which they have enjoyed since 1947.

OTHER MARDI GRAS NEWS

Citing COVID concerns, the Krewe of Little Rascals canceled its parade in Metairie but promises to return for its 40th anniversary in 2023.

"MARDI GRAS FOR ALL Y'ALL" a production of The Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate and NOLA.COM, debuted on January 13. The 90-minute program can be viewed on MardiGras.com

Carnival lost two prominent members of the float building community in January—McKinley Cantrell III and Randy Morrison.

Due to health concerns, the HISTORIC NEW ORLEANS COLLECTION’s Williams Research Center 2022 “Making Mardi Gras” symposium will be presented as a virtual event. Anyone who paid registration fees for the original experience has received an email with information on refunds. As a virtual program, the 2022 WRC Symposium will be free, with content released weekly every Tuesday, beginning February 8, 2022. Registration is encouraged, and the schedule of talks is available at https://www.hnoc.org/symposium-2022

In addition, the opening reception has been rescheduled for Wednesday, February 16, 2022. Admission is free, and registration is required.

Tune in throughout the month of February for your favorite Mardi Gras programming

New Orleans, LA — Tuesday, January 11, 2022 — WYES-TV is delighted to share the spirit and traditions of Carnival with its viewers through a variety of new and nostalgic Mardi Gras programming throughout the month of February as we count down to Fat Tuesday.

WYES is proud to premiere a new documentary, BLAINE KERN: THEY CALL HIM MR. MARDI GRAS, chronicling the life story of the legendary float builder. Kern, who died in 2020, almost single-handedly transferred Mardi Gras from a series of small exclusive parades into a billion dollar a year tourism juggernaut. He did so by reimagining and reshaping Carnival parades into eye-popping, animated extravaganzas that draw millions of people to witness the spectacle. The float-building business he established 75 years ago opened Carnival to people of all races and backgrounds and continues to build spectacular parades for krewes and clients here and around the world. Producer and narrator Dennis Woltering shares the colorful life story of the legendary float builder in BLAINE KERN: THEY CALL HIM MR. MARDI GRAS premiering Monday, February 7 at 8:00 p.m.



Continuing their annual overview of the upcoming Carnival season, host Peggy Scott Laborde, along with Carnival historians Arthur Hardy and Errol Laborde join together for another revealing installment of STEPPIN’ OUT “It’s Carnival Time” on Thursday, February 10 at 7:30 p.m. Topics in the 2022 edition include the 150th anniversary of the Rex Organization, the 35th anniversary of Lundi Gras and the ever- growing popularity of House Floats as well as a look at what’s new for Carnival this year.

For the 25th year, WYES will again provide exclusive live coverage of the Rex Ball in its entirety, along with the historic Meeting of the Courts of Rex and the Mistick Krewe of Comus. Both Carnival balls will return after a one-year hiatus due to the pandemic. Special features will highlight the history of both krewes. Executive producer and host Peggy Scott Laborde will interview current and past royalty and provide commentary, along with Carnival historian Errol Laborde and Rex historian Will French. The program will also stream live on WYES’ Facebook and YouTube pages. THE REX BALL AND THE MEETING OF THE COURTS OF REX AND COMUS will premiere at its new time, 7:00 p.m, on Tuesday, March 1, Mardi Gras night.



WYES bring viewers Carnival classic programs: NEW ORLEANS PARADES FROM THE PAST, FROM THE GROUND UP: MARDI GRAS FLOATS, BIG QUEENS OF CARNIVAL: IT’S YOUR GLORY, BIG CHIEFS OF CARNIVAL: THE SPIRIT LEADS MY NEEDLE, CHAPPY GOES TO MARDI GRAS and more! Don’t miss a marathon of nine hours of WYES Mardi Gras programming on Saturday, February 19th starting at 3:00 p.m. with ALL ON A MARDI GRAS DAY and continuing until midnight.

In an effort to expand WYES audiences on WYES’ Facebook and YouTube channel, every Tuesday now through Mardi Gras, WYES will release a “Carnival Close-Up with Peggy Scott Laborde” online only. Each segment will highlight some of Laborde’s favorite pieces from her collection of Mardi Gras memorabilia, with slices of Carnival history as we count down to the big day.

All of the above programs mentioned will repeat all month long. For all Carnival program details and for each week’s “Carnival Close-Up with Peggy Scott Laborde,” go to www.wyes.org/mardigras

The 2022 Mardi Gras Guide is now on sale at Angelo Brocato's, Garden District Books, Plush Appeal, King Cake Hub, Mardi Gras World, Beads by the Dozen, Gambino's on Veterans, Jefferson Variety, TJ's Carnival Supplies and Barnes & Noble, Westbank and Metairie. Internet orders started shipping today and distribution to all of our retail outlets will take about one week.

THE 2022 MARDI GRAS GUIDE finally arrived from the printer at 2PM today. Outlets that received them this afternoon include Beads by the Dozen, Gambino's on Veterans, Jefferson Variety, TJ's Carnival Supplies and Barnes & Noble, Westbank and Metairie. Internet orders will ship tomorrow and distribution to all of our retail outlets will take about one week.