The costumed and masked krewe assembled on Twelfth Night, January 6, 2012 (Sunday) at the Willow Street Car Barn (map) at 6:30pm.
At 7pm sharp, the Phunny Phorty Phellows boarded the streetcar and began their ride to "Herarld the Arrival of Carnival" down the St. Charles Ave. Streetcar Line.
All were invited to come see the PPP off beginning at 6:30, when the group started to gather. Of course Storyville Stompers were there with us.
The Phellows are an historic Mardi Gras organization that first took to the streets 1878 through 1898. They were known for their satirical parades and today¹s krewe members’ costumes often reflect topical themes. The group was revived in 1981.
The people in New Orleans don't get a break between Christmas season and Carnival season. The party goes on until Lent. Where I live, we don't rush into Carnival partying as quickly, but
the custom of sharing king cakes starts tomorrow.
Carnival season begins with Epiphany - somehow, growing up deep in the very WASP South, I never heard of this till I was long past grown, but what a wonderful idea! The "Anglish" - as my Cajun friends call them - are awful boring that way. The most fun we get of the whole season is a stack of sad pancakes in the parish hall on Shrove Tuesday. Whoop te do.
ReplyDeleteBut the French - now they know how to party! Grin.
And we don't do the pancake thing, but we do lots of other decadent stuff.
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