Southern Decadence, the gay Mardi Gras,
kicked off Thursday in New Orleans without even a whisper of a
hurricane alert this year. Good news for organizers who resuscitated
the party last year after hurricane Katrina flattened the city in
2005 and Gustav sent revelers fleeing last year.
The annual party draws nearly 100,000
merrymakers to the French Quarter over Labor Day weekend, making it
one of the city's largest annual events.
Sunday's huge parade is the main
attraction of the party. Grand Marshal Samson Utley will lead a
procession of floats and costumed merrymakers through New Orleans'
historic streets. The parade kicks off at 2PM at the Golden Lantern.
A costume show where people are invited
to strut their stuff follows the parade.
Legendary drag artist Lady Bunny
returns to Southern Decadence this year with her one-woman show at
The Bourbon Pub.
Hundreds of musicians from Lesbian and
Gay Band Association musical organizations throughout the country
will perform a concert titled Incantations on Sunday night at
Harrah's Theater.
After the parade, revelers will head to
Meltdown at The Bourbon Pub, an outrageous dance party hosted by
adult film director and drag artist Chi Chi LaRue.
Southern Decadence has grown from a
birthday bash pub crawl attended by about a dozen men in the early
70s to one of the world's largest gay parties.
On the Net: www.southerndecadence.net