The Best Mardi Gras Parade of All

A parade on Esplanade

It's been a quiet week in the 2200 block of Esplanade Avenue in New Orleans, Louisiana.  It was a quiet week until 10:00 this morning when the Krewe of St. Peter Claver School rolled down Esplanade Avenue.

We were in the dining room, discussing last night's parades over chicken empanadas from Norma's Bakery and chicory ("the roasted ground root of Belgian endive") coffee from Community Coffee.  Then, just barely audible, there was the sound of a marching band out on Esplanade Avenue.  We heard it through our feet more than our ears.  

Olaf dashed to the door and opened it, and the full brassy music of oompah and snare rushed in from outside  There was nothing else to do.  We all went outside and pleaded for beads.

How the floats roll on Esplanade Avenue

It was a children's parade, organized by St. Peter Claver School just down the street.  

Geographically, it is hard to determine which parish the 2200 block of Esplanade Avenue falls into.  Before Hurricane Katrina, it was part of St. Rose of Lima.  After Katrina, St Rose of Lima merged with Our Lady of the Rosary, up the road on Esplanade Avenue, lakeside.  Many people chose to join Corpus Christi Parish on St. Bernard Avenue, St. Leo the Great Parish on Paris Avenue, or St. Peter Claver, on St. Philip Street.  St Peter Claver Church is the closest Roman Catholic establishment to us, if you don't count the historic St. Anne Shrine that is three picturesque uptown blocks away, at the intersection of Ursulines Avenue and North Johnson Street.

Anyhow, it was a children's crusade of a parade, keeping the spirit of Mardi Gras alive for another generation, at least.

Smooth pavement in New Orleans

The average age of the krewe members was probably about 10.  They ranged from first grade to around eighth.  They just kept coming, along with their adult chaperones.  This was a 45 minute parade around the neighborhood, at least from where we stood.

They just kept coming, stopping traffic where they went.

We were all out there.  There was Frau Schmitt and your humble narrator.  There was Olaf and Britta.  There was Carol and Terence (see the photo at the top of this post).  There were Johanna and Tricia and Alma and Marie and Angie.  There were toddlers and grandparents.  Kristin and Steven weren't there.  They are teachers and this was a school day.

Joseph S. Clark Preparatory High School marching band

Shortly after the sub-krewe of priests and religious passed by, the parade was over.

The spirit of New Orleans

We had all caught more beads than we could comfortably wear around our necks.  What did we do?  We added to the collection on our front fence:

The porch of Les Fleurs Suite

Last night's parades were good.  Tonight's parades will be good.  Endymion will be good.  Bacchus will be good.  The parades on Mardi Gras Day will be good.  Rex will be spectacular and Zulu will be awesome.  In the 2200 block of Esplanade Avenue, this morning's parade in front of our sidewalk will always be the best parade of all.

A votre sante.