Celebrations in the Big Easy begin to escalate the extended weekend before the grand finale of Fat Tuesday, headlined by the parades of “super krewes,” or themed parades. During Bacchus, the festival crowns celebrity kings, who over the years have included Will Ferrell, Hulk Hogan, Larry King and William Shatner. Other parades include Zulu — defined by signature golden coconuts — and Rex, immortalized by the fistfuls of doubloons rained down on crowds.
Attending the spectacle known as the “greatest free show on earth” by many in ‘nawlins is easy for those content to swim in a sea of rowdy humanity. Agoraphobics can barter with local opportunists for a higher vantage point atop ladders and bleachers. Finding a room in the French Quarter as a home base (and clean bathroom) will go a long way towards letting the good times roll. If you can score a balcony-equipped apartment along one of the parade routes, even better.