Super Bowl Mardi Gras was a Super Success!

Mardi Gras 2002 went without a hitch. Only New Orleans could pull off two such mega events in 2 weeks! The city was well prepared for any disaster with a special task force who had worked months on disaster preparedness for both Super Bowl, the first weekend in February and Mardi Gras, the 12th. Because parades roll from January 6 to Mardi Gras day, the overlap of crowds and amended traffic was a challenge for residents, NOPD and tourists alike but everyone survived. Six miles of the Mississippi River were closed to traffic as well as blocks around the Super Dome but it all went back to normal crazy for Mardi Gras.

In addition, we had mayoral primaries the Saturday before Super Bowl but turn out was still good. There were reports that F 16's cruised low over the Quarter at 3 am Saturday which was kind of spooky. The city recovered a bit the next week but some tourists with big pocketbooks stayed for both. Nicolas Cage rode in Bachus and Jason Alexander in Endymion. Cage recently directed a movie in the lower Quarter on Esplanade at some property he acquired, then threw an elaborate invitation only party at the Mint for residents as a way to say thanks. I was delighted to be a guest! The food was awesome and the band fantastic. Mr. Cage is a gracious host as well as quite an actor.

The usual riff-raff and crime occurred Carnival weekend but nothing extraordinary except for a tear-jerking teddy bear theft that a fellow Suite 101 writer, Miss Rosemary Basil reports: "My teddy bear named Cha Cha was stolen from me during Endymion parade! Would you please tell others to read my article at Teddy Bear Fun. You never know, maybe someone saw it!" Rosemary provided this cute banner as well as the photos you see here.

Some notes from a Mardi Gras journal...

Lundi Gras is the Monday before Mardi Gras and it is carnival at its fevered pitch. Most of the crowds have been here all weekend catching the parades and trading beads, drinking, drumming and raising chaos. Everynight the shouts, cheers, music and drumming goes on into the wee hours on the streets, by 6 am. it disperses for a few hours as people catch a few winks but by noon it's back to crazy. King Rex arrived traditionally by boat and there will be fireworks, music and more party at the Riverwalk this evening. Many will make it an early night to get up early for the Zulu parade at 9 am Fat Tuesday, many will not sleep at all! Zulu is the krewe that has the prized hand painted coconuts but they don't exactly throw them anymore- too many accidents-you usually have to know someone to get one.

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