Southern Decadence

«Gay Mardi Gras» is often used to describe Southern Decadence and it’s one of the most accurate ones I’ve seen. This is the premier LGBTQI event in the Gulf South, and probably only second to Folsom Street Fair in terms of adult festivals.
As expected, this is not «family friendly» by any means. However, it is one of the most welcoming, open celebration I’ve ever seen. It doesn’t matter if you’re part of the LGBTQI movement, a supporter, or just an innocent bystander caught in the middle of things everyone is happy you’re there to celebrate.

Every year during the weekend preceding Labor Day (unless a hurricane is coming at us, and even then) Southern Decadence is home to the biggest gathering of queer and queer friendly folks in New Orleans. In the bars and in the streets, thousands of people of all backgrounds gather to celebrate, dance, costume, drink and generally get decadent.
There are dance parties, house-​parties, parties in the street, & parties on balconies, all of which include carrying on, frivolity, and grand amounts of decadence. There is normally a parade at 2pm on Sunday which always provides some very colorful photo opportunities, and there is always lots and lots of glitter.
This is not a ‘family friendly’ event by the conventional use of the term, it is however a FAMILY event, if ya get what I mean.
From the website: «It is one of the largest annual celebrations and festivals in New Orleans, and has become known as the „Gay Mardi Gras.“ People begin to arrive on the Wednesday before Labor Day, and generally don’t even think about stopping or going home until the following Tuesday. With over 120,000 gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender participants, and an economic impact estimated to be in excess of $ 125 million, the city has recognized the festival’s importance with Official Proclamations to welcome the event.»