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Caesar was formed by a group of members of the Krewe of Zeus who weren't happy with the way things were going in Metairie's oldest Carnival organization. Since its formation, Caesar has done an excellent job of putting on a class act every year. While I usually maintain that any downtown parade, no matter how mediocre, is better than even the best Metairie parade, Caesar is worth standing on Veterans for.
Even though Carrollton has switched to an Uptown route from the Mid-City path they used throughout the 70s and 80s, Carrollton still has that wonderful "neighborhood" feeling. Since most tourists come to town for Carnival on the Friday or Saturday before Mardi Gras, this "first weekend" parade is attended by mostly locals. The riders on the floats know that and more than show their appreciation.
Saturn was originally a Kenner krewe. When the infamous "Mardi Gras Discrimination Ordinance" was passed in December of 1994 by the New Orleans City Council, the Knights of Momus decided to discontinue parading. The Knights of Babylon moved from their traditional spot on Wednesday to Momus' Thursday spot, leaving Wednesday open. Since they were no longer welcome in Kenner (the suburban city didn't want to spend the money for police and other city services for a single parade) and there was an open night, Saturn was able to slide into a prime New Orleans parading night. Saturn has taken up Momus' mantle of being the Chief Satirist of Carnival. Saturn's floats usually have political and social commentary themes that are often quite funny and (sometimes) stinging.
With Momus, Proteus, and Comus gone (thanks to the strange racial attitudes of city government), Babylon is one of the few "old-line" krewes left. The Captain rides on horseback, the identity of the King is secret (he wears a mask to hide his identity), and the theme isn't made public until the night of the ride. Babylon also uses Flambeaux carriers throughout the parade.
Always a class act, Hermes is another of the "old-line" krewes. Catch it on Canal St., then head into the Quarter for the first really crazy night down there.
Endymion was originally just a neighborhood krewe, a bunch of guys from St. Aloysius who lived in Gentilly. It's since become the largest of the "super-krewes." People get up before dawn on the Saturday before Mardi Gras to stake out choice spots along Orleans Ave., N. Carrollton, and Canal St. for Endymion. The sheer size of the parade alone is reason enough to come out to see it.
The Krewe of Mid-City is famous for its animated floats and the "battle of the bands." Bands from all over the south come to town to compete in Mid-City. The parade is particularly beautiful because the krewe makes extensive use of aluminum foil on the floats. The extra foil really reflects the sunlight on Sunday afternoon.
The idea behind Bacchus was to put on a big parade over the weekend, for the benefit of business travelers who woudldn't be staying over until Mardi Gras. It started as a big bash, and hasn't let up one bit. While Endymion has passed Bacchus in recent years in terms of size, Bacchus is still an exciting mega-parade.
When Proteus dropped from the parade schedule, Harry Connick, Jr., formed a super-krewe to fill in the gap on Lundi Gras. In spite of a rocky first year, Orpheus has gone on to rival Endymion and Bacchus for large, exciting floats, and some great bands and marching groups.
Sleep in for Zulu, but don't miss the King of Carnival. Always a classy theme taken from literature or mythology, Rex hits the city with top-notch floats, solid marching units (many of them out-of-town military drill teams and bands), and (in recent years) quality throws. Don't miss it!
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