Does New Orleans Have Mardi Gras Carnivals (Metairie, Lafayette: amusement park, school district)

[Elphie]

Before you laugh, I'm talking about the sort with rides and a midway with games. Like the ferris wheel, carousel, and all the "scary" rides. We live in Galveston and one of the things our children look forward to each year during Mardi Gras is the carnival they have up on the Seawall. We will be moving to New Orleans when school is out and this question is of the utmost importance to my thirteen year old daughter.

[Neworleansisprettygood]

Originally Posted by Elphie

Before you laugh, I'm talking about the sort with rides and a midway with games. Like the ferris wheel, carousel, and all the "scary" rides. We live in Galveston and one of the things our children look forward to each year during Mardi Gras is the carnival they have up on the Seawall. We will be moving to New Orleans when school is out and this question is of the utmost importance to my thirteen year old daughter.

I don't know of any that go on during Mardi Gras season (it's pretty stiff competition), but there are a lot that pop up in parking lots, etc., and Gretna Fest, which happens once a year, has ferris wheels and the gravitron and all that. Tell her not to worry. We also have a small amusement park in City Park that has a ferris wheel, a (small) roller coaster, a big tower than you can slide off on burlap sacks, etc. If I had a thirteen-year old daughter (or son), I'd be more worried about them having too much fun here.

[Elphie]

Thank you so much. She is quite happy and reassured now. Here in Galveston there are only a couple of parades the children can go to that are halfway decent, so the carnival on the Seawall is a huge deal as it makes up the majority of their Mardi Gras entertainment. I've tried to tell her that Mardi Gras in New Orleans is the Mardi Gras in the US and there will be so much to do but until she sees it I don't think she has any idea. I'm not sure I do really, aside from what I have read. I am looking forward to experiencing Mardi Gras as a local though; the entire Bourbon Street Mardi Gras scene has never held any sort of appeal to me. Here during our Mardi Gras we pretty much keep to our local parades and avoid the ones that cater to the tourists so I can just imagine the need to do so in New Orleans.

I did look up the amusement park in City Park and it looked really nice and so pretty. A lot of it seemed geared towards younger children but like you said, there is Gretna Fest and parking lot carnivals. I can see we have much to look forward to indeed.

[Neworleansisprettygood]

Originally Posted by Elphie

Thank you so much. She is quite happy and reassured now. Here in Galveston there are only a couple of parades the children can go to that are halfway decent, so the carnival on the Seawall is a huge deal as it makes up the majority of their Mardi Gras entertainment. I've tried to tell her that Mardi Gras in New Orleans is the Mardi Gras in the US and there will be so much to do but until she sees it I don't think she has any idea. I'm not sure I do really, aside from what I have read. I am looking forward to experiencing Mardi Gras as a local though; the entire Bourbon Street Mardi Gras scene has never held any sort of appeal to me. Here during our Mardi Gras we pretty much keep to our local parades and avoid the ones that cater to the tourists so I can just imagine the need to do so in New Orleans.

I did look up the amusement park in City Park and it looked really nice and so pretty. A lot of it seemed geared towards younger children but like you said, there is Gretna Fest and parking lot carnivals. I can see we have much to look forward to indeed.

One thing that should come as a pleasant surprise to you will be how kid-friendly much of Mardi Gras is. I'm not sure the exact number of parades, but it's probably 60 or so over a two-and-a-half week period. Mardi Gras was the highlight of my year when I was in elementary and high schools.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

The parades in Metairie are more family friendly. The big ones downtown are flashier and Bacchus has a celebrity grand Marshall. I have never heard of most of them but your 13 y/o probably has.

[Elphie]

Oh my heavens, I can't even imagine so many parades! I know when we have visited I've have always been able to find lots of fun wholesome family entertainment for the kids to enjoy. They all absolutely love New Orleans and can't wait to live there. I'm blessed to have a family of readers so they have all been reading everything about it they can get their hands on. My eleven year old just got an American Girl doll for Christmas who is from New Orleans complete with a set of her very own books set in the 1800's, my thirteen year old is happily devouring the entire Anne Rice collection on her Kindle, and my nine year old is using his tablet to Google every known fact he can he think up. So far the kids' favorite place when visiting though has been Cafe Du Monde.

[Elphie]

Originally Posted by SouthernBelleInUtah

The parades in Metairie are more family friendly. The big ones downtown are flashier and Bacchus has a celebrity grand Marshall. I have never heard of most of them but your 13 y/o probably has.

Metairie is actually where we are seriously considering living because of the school district but we haven't entirely decided yet. It also seems like a more family friendly place as a whole in a lot of ways though I do prefer New Orleans.

[Prytania]

The parades in New Orleans are family friendly if you camp out near the start of the parade route. Things go "downhill" as you head closer to the CBD, Canal Street.

[Drouzin]

I have been battling with my 13 yo niece over Mardi Gras ever since she moved here last Aug. She's never done Mardi Gras and has repeatedly told me that parades are stupid and that she thinks it's a waste of time to stand there and wave at people. When I mentioned that people are going to be throwing her beads she got a tiny bit more interested. All I can say is that I can't wait to see the look on that kid's face when we drag her to her first parade. Elphie, you need to bring a camera and get a picture of your daughter's face when she realizes why there isn't one NOLA kid who would trade a fair ride for a parade during Carnival season.

PS. There won't be any lack of fair rides during festival season. Southeastern LA is crawling with festivals from abt. March - June and then things pick up again abt. late Sept.- Nov., (well Dec. if you count the Renaissance Festival up in Hammond). And there are plenty filler festivals in between these peak seasonal times.

[aab7855]

Lafayette has a fair/carnival type setup around the Cajundome, and the parade actually rolls into the place as people enjoy rides and concessions. Cool idea, I thought, although nothing compares to New Orleans Mardi Gras.