A miniature parade and a dog parade!
I’ve been going to Barkus for years – it requires me to overcome my Sunday homebody inertia and jump on my bike to ride to the French Quarter, but it’s always worth it. This year it was chilly. Hat and gloves weather. Aside from some shivering Chihuahuas, all the dogs, spectators and participants alike, were smiling and happy. It’s such a positive scene! And it’s a parade, so there are bands too. And big dogs, little dogs, medium dogs, fuzzy dogs, wrinkly dogs – you name it!
This year was the first year we attended ‘tit Rex. This is a recent parade, just three or four years old. It’s a miniature parade – thus the French ‘tit – short for petit – a Cajun term of endearment. I am a tremendous miniature fan, so I loved this parade! Not only do the participants have miniature floats, they also hand out miniature throws! How cool is that?
Some of the human spectators create miniature spectators to enjoy the parade – it’s quite adorable. And others make miniature signs and miniature nets to catch the throws. I received tiny beads and a tiny comic book and a tiny umbrella, and a tiny golden potato – resembling a Zulu coconut!
‘tit Rex has gotten in some hot water with the life-sized Rex Krewe – as in Rex, King of Carnival. Apparently ‘tit Rex was asked to cease and desist using Rex in their name. Trademark infringement, perhaps? So ‘tit Rex changed the e in Rex to a schwa (an upside down e), but Rex is still not happy, apparently. Thus the theme for ‘tit Rex this year was “Napoleon Avenue Complex” – very clever! At the end of the parade a group of people wearing papier-mache dinosaur heads (representing Tyrannosaurus Rex) was handing out flyers from their lawyers requesting that the members of the parade stop using the “T Rex” name because of copyright infringement – so creative and silly!
Today, and all the rest of this week, I’ll be trying to do too many things – go to parades, live life, blog, etc. Apologies for the reduction in writing quality. Yet again I’m going to let the photos do the talking – enjoy another fascinating slice of New Orleans Mardi Gras!
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
OMG shivering Chihuahuas, I love it Thank you thank you! You made my night!
Yay! Did you see the photo with six Chihuahuas? I couldn’t get over how many there were!
Great post. I almost feel like I am there!
Such fun you have in NOLA.
Yay! I have pics of Flat Ruthie with the throws – I need to work on a post and send it to you. Sadly, I keep forgetting to bring Ruthie with me, but I might tonight – I just don’t want to lose her!
Now that is absolutely adorable (the first dog )..and the miniature floats are so creative..
Keep having a grand time
Lynne
Thank you – yay!
Love, love, love the tiny floats with their tiny throws and the tiny spectators! So creative. It’s great to learn more about Mardi Gras from your blog.
So glad you’re enjoying, Barb! Cheers!
Loving all the pictures! Cute dogs and looks like a lot of fun! I wanna go to Mardi Gras next year!
You should! It’s a lovely party, lasting for weeks!
Lord have mercy!
I know – the Chihuahuas alone, right?
right!
Very funny – I sent the blog address to a friend who loves Chihuahuas
Yay!