New Orleans — Giving up has never been in the DNA of New Orleans, so the cancellation of Mardi Gras parades due to the pandemic didn’t kill off an old tradition, it jump-started a new one: Yardi Gras.
It’s a parade where spectators are the ones on the move and homes are dotted with decor. “Whenever he gets older, I want to look back and show him how Mardi Gras was in quarantine,” said Alyssa Hicks, a mother.
Yardi Gras started as a social media joke. Megan Boudreaux tweeted that without parades, she would turn her house into a float. Now, some 3,000 New Orleans homes are part of an immobile porch parade.
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“I’m definitely overwhelmed at just how over the top the response has been,” Boudreaux said.
On First Street, it’s like shark week — they sank their teeth into it. Down the block, neighbors honor a local favorite, the Cafe Du Monde beignet.
“New Orleans is going to have a good time no matter what,” a resident said.
To help the community, some homeowners hired out-of-work artists or rented props from struggling float companies. Some residents hope the decorated homes become a tradition.
From the wild to the whimsical, the stationary parade has brought neighbors together, turning Mardi Gras into a literal house party and finding a way to let the good times roll.
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