It’s been five years since last I set foot on NOLA soil. That was “pre-storm,” as locals refer to all time before Katrina. I had visited many times before and felt that all of New Orleans was family – the kind you want to visit.
When the Gulf Coast was devastated by the hurricane, I grieved like someone whose closest friend had a broken heart. I’m still haunted by images of the animals left behind when people were forced to evacuate their homes as flood waters rose.
All of that is why returning for part of the Mardi Gras festivities this year was so healing. Mardi Gras is much more than Fat Tuesday, the day before Lent in the Catholic calendar. Parades start about a month before, sponsored by “krewes” of charity organizations. The Barkus krewe raises funds for animal welfare organizations. Its website also says that “Membership in the parade krewe is open to all dogs – regardless of their past.” Love that.
This year’s parade theme was “Indiana Bones and the Raiders of the Lost Bark,” and the costumes were amazing. Harrison Ford wannabes were everywhere, dressed in leather flight-jackets and fedoras on man and beast, some complete with a whip on the hip. I saw a lot of snakes too, including one dog-as-snake and one dressed like a mini-medusa with toy snakes all over. My dogs sure wouldn’t stand for that, but these seemed quite content, even proud. Obviously they’d done this sort of thing before. After all this is the Crescent City, where parade costumes are second nature.
Although Barkus is an officially recognized krewe of Mardi Gras, its parade is anything but conventional (as if anything could be in this Voodoo Priestess town). The costumes and festive attitudes are part of the magic… but there’s something else, something intangible.
“It’s the love,” someone said. I think that’s really true. Dogs are such vessels of love that watching a parade full of them is like riding a wave of joy that goes on for blocks and blocks.
You really should go next year. Best make plans now, since getting a reservation at a dog-friendly place can be a challenge. Check with www.UrbanDogMagazine.com, where you can subscribe to New Orleans’ rag for dog lovers. Stay tuned to www.barkus.org, where I’m sure the krewe will post updates as soon as they have recovered from this year’s Mardi Gras.
We had severe camera malfunctions on parade day, but were lucky enough to find some folks who took some great shots, which they’ve kindly allowed Bay Woof to showcase. Thanks to Scott Stuntz (www.muttshotz.com), Jenifer Biniek, and Brian Plauche (www.bpnolaphotographs.com).
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