Mardi Gras might be the annual main course of New Orleans’ Carnival season, but the Krewe of Red Beans and Rice whipped up another unforgettable hors d’oeuvre on Lundi Gras 2016 with its annual parade through the Marigny and Treme neighborhoods.
Nothing says “New Orleans” more than red beans and rice on a Monday, but add grand marshal Al “Carnival Time” Johnson plus the Treme Brass Band, combined with more than 100 revelers dressed to the nines in colorful tributes to Louis Armstrong’s favorite dish, and you’ve got a recipe that can’t be topped.
Speaking of the legendary jazz trumpeter, Pops was well-represented as always by the Beanmobile, the tricked-out Volkswagen etched with both his likeness and his famous personal recipe. Starting out at Port and Royal streets to the spicy sounds of a mariachi band, founder Devin Meyers’ krewe of self-proclaimed “beaners” dazzled delighted bystanders on a leisurely route that included stops at Buffa’s Lounge on Esplanade Avenue as well as the Candle Light on North Robertson.
Signaling their presence with cries of “Beans a-comin’!” the gang and its bean-festooned regalia paid tasty tribute to New Orleans’ second-line tradition as well as the Mardi Gras Indians before disbanding outside the Backstreet Cultural Museum in the shadow of the iconic St. Augustine Catholic Church. Did you miss ’em this year? Don’t worry: You’ll have your chance on Lundi Gras 2017.