Over the past few weeks, we've been featuring Mardi Gras Moments showing some of the highlights from New Orleans throughout the carnivale season. But today we change gears a bit as our resident expert Jenn Blatty offers a quick list of ways to stay out of trouble on Fat Tuesday.
Top 10 Things NOT To Do During Mardi Gras
1. Do not stray from the crowds! Even if someone who seems perfectly cordial and trustworthy invites you to a party "around the corner," or offers up his or her bathroom -- or you think you know a shortcut through a dark alley or dimly lit and empty street. If you are not surrounded by tourists, you are a perfect target for the New Orleans predators. Stay where the action is.
2. Arrange a meeting point with your friends and family immediately upon arriving to the scene. It's easy to be separated from your group during the festivities, whether you're wandering through the zoo of people, or distractedly following the hot trail of a passing float for a pair of Mardi Gras underwear that you just HAVE to have. Do yourself a favor and pick out a rally point before this happens.
3. Do not carry your money, credit cards, or anything important tucked away in your back pocket, especially if you brave it up enough to hit Bourbon Street! This is the perfect opportunity to fall victim to the Mardi Gras pickpockets.
4. Be wary of the scam artists! If someone approaches you with the question, "I bet you $100 I know where you got your shoes" or any question along those lines, do yourself a favor and do not wager! Even if you purchased your shoes on Mars, they will get you every time with the infamous answer: "on your feet." And at that point you may feel obliged to pay, because technically they are correct, aren't they? Sometimes it's even common to be forced into a service, such as someone offering a shoeshine, and before you know it they are shining your shoes and demand immediate payment (even if you said "no thanks" loud and clear). Avoid these folks as much as possible. The more you stall, the higher the chance of being pushed into a bad situation. Just keep on moving.
5. Petting the police officer's horse is a serious no-no, unless you want to risk spending the night behind bars. The New Orleans cops are already more than likely irritated with the out of control and drunk tourists, especially the one who thinks it would be funny to slap and startle a horse. So even if you are just an animal lover wanting to reach out, keep your hands to yourself! It is not uncommon to be arrested for touching a cop's horse in any shape or form, so just don't do it.
Top 10 Things NOT To Do During Mardi Gras1. Do not stray from the crowds! Even if someone who seems perfectly cordial and trustworthy invites you to a party "around the corner," or offers up his or her bathroom -- or you think you know a shortcut through a dark alley or dimly lit and empty street. If you are not surrounded by tourists, you are a perfect target for the New Orleans predators. Stay where the action is.
2. Arrange a meeting point with your friends and family immediately upon arriving to the scene. It's easy to be separated from your group during the festivities, whether you're wandering through the zoo of people, or distractedly following the hot trail of a passing float for a pair of Mardi Gras underwear that you just HAVE to have. Do yourself a favor and pick out a rally point before this happens.
3. Do not carry your money, credit cards, or anything important tucked away in your back pocket, especially if you brave it up enough to hit Bourbon Street! This is the perfect opportunity to fall victim to the Mardi Gras pickpockets.
4. Be wary of the scam artists! If someone approaches you with the question, "I bet you $100 I know where you got your shoes" or any question along those lines, do yourself a favor and do not wager! Even if you purchased your shoes on Mars, they will get you every time with the infamous answer: "on your feet." And at that point you may feel obliged to pay, because technically they are correct, aren't they? Sometimes it's even common to be forced into a service, such as someone offering a shoeshine, and before you know it they are shining your shoes and demand immediate payment (even if you said "no thanks" loud and clear). Avoid these folks as much as possible. The more you stall, the higher the chance of being pushed into a bad situation. Just keep on moving.
5. Petting the police officer's horse is a serious no-no, unless you want to risk spending the night behind bars. The New Orleans cops are already more than likely irritated with the out of control and drunk tourists, especially the one who thinks it would be funny to slap and startle a horse. So even if you are just an animal lover wanting to reach out, keep your hands to yourself! It is not uncommon to be arrested for touching a cop's horse in any shape or form, so just don't do it.
6. Do
not urinate in public, even if you are in a dark alley with no one
around (and you shouldn't be there in the first place if you read tip Number 1). You will be arrested. Everyone shares the pain of searching for
a bathroom during Mardi Gras, so think in advance before you have to
go. Try to locate the nearest bar, hotel, or Porto-Johns as soon as
you arrive. You may even stumble across one of the hardcore festival
champs who brings his own Porto-John on the back of a pickup truck. He might charge you to use it (so bring extra cash!), but it's not hard
to make new friends in New Orleans, so put on your friendly face. 7. Always have a cab number on hand. It's nearly impossible to find a cab in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, so more than likely you will have to call one for a pickup. United and Yellow Cab are two of the major companies in New Orleans, so bring their numbers (and a cell phone) with you to the party. Better yet, ask your cab driver for his personal number before you exit, he might be able to work with you faster than waiting on a pickup from the main number.
8. Write down the vehicle number of your taxi. If you accidentally leave your wallet or camera in the backseat of the cab, your chances of seeing them again are much higher if you can tell the company which vehicle transported you. With this information they can page the driver immediately and your belongings might be recovered before another passenger takes their dibs. Without the information, you will anxiously hope for a nameless driver to clean the cab return your belongings to the lost and found at the end of his shift.
9. Do not fight over beads. Remember, at the end of the day they are just plastic, although somehow we're convinced that they're worth more than gold during the parades. Bottom line, it's just not worth it. If you're having a hard time catching beads, here's a few pointers: if you see a group getting ready to hold a sign up to a passing by float, go stand next to them. They know someone behind the masks and are about to get buried under bags of beads and goodies.
10. Do not get arrested. Bottom line: You might laugh at the prospect now, but it's not so uncommon to forget all common sense during Mardi Gras. If you do in fact get hauled away, it's not going to be an overnight trip you can laugh about with your friends later. You'll be there the rest of the weekend, at least. And you won't be laughing about it.
Photos: Jenn Blatty
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Thanks for the post, Jenn. It's definitely a holiday that needs a few dos and donts explained if you've never been. For those looking for a more simple celebration for the whole family this Mardi Gras we'd encourage you to consider Las Vegas. If you need to be reminded of what Vegas holds for the whole family, check out what the families of Cranfills Gap did when they got here at http://visitlasvegas.com/smalltown
Kate and the VisitLasVegas.com Team
Though your "Do not get arrested" tip was indeed funny but will keep your tips in mind when I go for the Mardi Gras this time around
It's easy to get carried away when in the midst of all the hubub and celebration, so it's good to be reminded before the party that not all rules of civil society go out the window for Mardi Gras. Great idea to write down the taxi number. Also a good idea to streamline the number of things you carry with one functional daypack--minimizes the chance of leaving anything behind.
All very good advice, especially not putting anything in your back pocket, as one of my friends learned when we went a few years ago.
Also, don't kiss random guys. You get the flu. Not that'd I'd know....
11. Don't bother with Fat Tuesday. Go to Endymion, Bacchus or anything else and have more fun being there and maybe even meeting a local or two.
As a native.......I usually leave town.
Most Mardi Gras beads are made in china and contain led paint.. don't let your kids wear them
My response to a scammer in #4 would be:
"You may 'got' your shoes on your feet, but I 'HAVE' my shoes on my feet."
and then I would get beaten up.
It's nice to imagine. :)
Don't burn hemp incense in your hotel to cover up your doobie. Don't show your junk even if a pretty girl shows you hers. Don't wear your good shoes. The bronze guy is a statue, but the silver guy is real.
As a native I can heartily endorse all of these. Except Zack's #11. Miss Zulu? Are you insane? Not a chance, my friend.
Anyone who has the presence of mind to write down the taxi cab # is not going to forget anything in the cab. Silly.
As a former New Orleanian, this is a very good list.
Another suggestion- bring some toilet paper and wet wipes- if you find a portalet, it WON'T be clean.
Your tips come in a very appropriate moment. My company sends internatioanl students to study abroad, with the USA being the destination of choice for many of them, whom also adore to attend Mardi Gras and those tips reinforce what what we recomend them. Congrats for the great piece of advice.
Gabriel McKinsey - Academia Intercambios
Intercambios Cursos no Exterior
After reading the entire post and all comments now I am thinking I should go there or simply not.
Shail
Agra India
???"Most Mardi Gras beads ... contain led paint.. don't let your kids wear them."??? NOT TRUE! You are obviously not a native. There is no harm in letting your kids wear Mardi Gras beads. I've raise two kids to adulthood. They are healthy, as well as, intellectually and artistically gifted. The family never missed Mardi Gras (or a St. Patty's day parade); both kids spent plenty of time in Mardi Gras beads.
Helpful Hint for Bathrooms: There are several churches and/or parochial schools near the Uptown parade route that maintain clean bathrooms and offer them for use for small fee as a fundraiser. You may pay per use or buy an all day pass at a flat fee. They have people on duty to continuously monitor and clean up the rest rooms.