Louisiana’s other sideof Carnival: Shreveport offers festive family-oriented fun
The third largest city in Louisiana, Shreveport is the principal city of the third largest metropolitan area in the state, so it stands to reason that the citizens of this economically thriving community herald Carnival in grand style, and with much anticipation and great fanfare. Mardi Gras is an important element of the cultural life of the Shreveport metropolitan area that extends along the Red River into Bossier City. As a resident of New Orleans for more than 30 years, I have always been spoiled and even snobbish about our fabulous, gargantuan parades and numerous celebrations, which are often bawdier than most around the state.
There are a few child-oriented parades leading up to Fat Tuesday in New Orleans, and I have taken children to many through the years; however, I have always avoided bringing them to the super krewe parades, which can often be far too rough for the little ones (such as Bacchus and Endymion), and the French Quarter is largely R-rated during Mardi Gras, especially on Bourbon Street. While raising two girls, I had to be very selective as to what parades we would attend, even though we had a house situated directly on the parade route for years and held many Carnival parties, sometimes several in one week.
This is not the case in Shreveport, where families with children can enjoy the lion’s share of festivities throughout the season. Carnival kicked off this year January 28 with the Krewe of Centaur Grand Bal at the Shreveport Convention Center, which was followed by the Krewe of Gemini Bal February 4 (their parade is on February 18 in downtown Shreveport; it is the final major evening parade of the Mardi Gras season; the theme this year is “Bad Boys of Gemini” and the floats are featuring everything from Johnny Cash to Ozzy Osbourne). The Krewe of Gemini operates the area’s official Mardi Gras museum, which gives residents and visitors an interesting and entertaining perspective of Mardi Gras in Louisiana, focusing on the celebrations in northwest Louisiana(mardigrasmuseum.org).
When I finally experienced Mardi Gras in Shreveport, I was very pleasantly surprised. Even though I am a diehard New Orleans Mardi Gras reveler to my soul, I was enthralled and rather amazed to see all the elaborate pageantry, parades, great marching bands, and festivities surrounding their gorgeous celebrations.
The Krewe of Centaur parade rolls February 11 at 4:30 pm; this has recently been my favorite parade of Carnival in Shreveport for its sheer opulence and generous throws. Centaur is north Louisiana’s largest Mardi Gras krewe, and rivals many of the largest super krewes in New Orleans in terms of size, but it is thankfully safer for children. It is the first major parade of the Carnival season, although there are many smaller neighborhood parades prior to it.
Clyde Fant Parkway, which runs along the west bank of the Red River, is a great place to enjoy the show and catch some of the more than four million beads and other items that this very generous and fun-loving super krewe throws. Arrive early before the crowds take over the best spots along this popular route. Another good place to see all the fun is along the Shreveport-Barksdale Highway. Families with small children may want to plan to catch the parade near the starting point, close to Shreveport’s Duck Pond Park on E. Kings Highway. The theme of the parade this year is “Road Trip.”
“I highly recommend attending their loading party on February 10,” says Chris Jay, a local Carnival reveler and friend who is with the Shreveport-Bossier Convention Center. “Their den is huge and expansive, and it’s fun to grab a cold beer and check out all of the floats getting decked out and loaded with throws the night before the parade. There is electricity in the air, and they’ve usually got great food at the event to boot.”
If you like pets or have one in tow while visiting Shreveport, a fun parade to catch (and even participate in) is the Krewe of Barkus and Meow Pet Parade held on February 12 at downtown Shreveport’s Riverwalk Park (animalkrewe.org). Hundreds of pets, including dogs, cats, ponies, and even chickens, decked out in hilarious costumes gather to march through the park, so bring your pet and prance! “I’ve even seen snakes at this parade,” recalls Chris.
The Krewe of Highland holds its parade February 19, rolling at 2 pm. It begins at C.E. Byrd High School (3201 Line Avenue) and winds its way through Shreveport’s historic Highland neighborhood, ending at Columbia Park, where the Carnival de Columbia caps off the day. This is Shreveport’s funky, eclectic parade that has, in the past, tossed throws such as ziplock bags filled with spaghetti and meatballs; there is a float that throws hot dogs as well, and one that throws Spam sandwiches, but I wouldn’t recommend eating any of it!
In addition to the krewe’s unusual throws, watch out for the Blanc et Noir Marching Society, that marches at the head of the parade. The society started out as a group of diverse Shreveport-Bossier artists and performers, and they set the tone for the entire parade. “In the Highland Parade, you will see people of all races and economic backgrounds marching together as friends,” notes Chris. “The Krewe of Highland Parade may be my favorite thing of all in Shreveport-Bossier’s Carnival. It was where my wife Sara and I had our first date. The 2013 Highland Parade will be our 10th anniversary of that first date.”
If you walk along the route, you may notice that there are house parties happening all along the way. After the parade, most of the neighborhood folks walk down to Columbia Park, where live music and socializing goes on until nightfall. This informal event has come to be known as Carnival de Columbia.
If you’re looking for live music while enjoying Carnival in Shreveport, head to Fatty Arbuckle’s Pub, located in the Red River Entertainment District underneath the Texas Street Bridge. It is one of the only clubs in Shreveport-Bossier that regularly brings popular New Orleans club performers to the area. They have booked the Rebirth Brass Band in February, and frequently host such acts as the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Flow Tribe, and the New Orleans Bingo! Show (visit shreveportbossierfunguide.com).
For casual dining options while in town, be sure to visit Herby-K’s, home of the legendary “shrimp buster,” a deconstructed shrimp po-boy that features jumbo shrimp that are pounded flat before being fried, then stacked on French bread and served with their secret sauce and coleslaw. Try the Pink Flamingo if you’re in the brave Mardi Gras spirit; it’s an off-menu house cocktail that packs a punch. All of the drinks are served in huge, heavy goblets.
Kim’s Seafood and Po-Boy restaurant is arguably one of the most New Orleans-style joints of all the po-boy places in north Louisiana. The owners, who are from New Orleans, relocated their restaurant after it was destroyed in the Big Easy by hurricane Katrina. Billed as the “Asian Cajuns,” the owners serve tasty, unique items such as hand-made crawfish egg rolls and traditional items such as boiled seafood and generously apportioned po-boys.
The building that houses Fertitta’s Delicatessen is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Operated by the same family since 1927, Fertitta’s offers a great, authentic muffuletta called “The Muffy” that is well worth sampling. They also serve delicious mint iced tea. “The family matriarch, Agatha Fertitta-McCall, is like a cross between your Sicilian grandmother and Dolly Parton,” Chris tells me over a po-boy. “The building itself is frozen in time. They still use one of those 1920s-style phones with the horn that you hold to your ear.”
Big O’s has one of the more unusual and colorful food stories in Shreveport. Proprietor Odis Johnson insists that the recipe for his famous tartar sauce came to him in an ethereal vision, and that the vision said it would make him world-famous. So he began making the tartar sauce, and then opened a restaurant around it. Big O’s serves delicious, crisply fried fish and shrimp, and creamy red beans and rice, among other savory Louisiana standards. Although located in a strip mall, it is worth going there just to hear the tale and enjoy the famous tartar sauce and freshly fried seafood.
For further information about events surrounding Carnival 2012, parade schedules, restaurants, and accommodations, visit the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourism Bureau at shreveport-bossier.org.✦
