2022: New Tradition, Who Dis?
October 8th, 2021
Weeeeeee’rrrrrrrre baaaaaccccck!
Look, 2021 didn’t exactly go how we thought it would. Are we disappointed? Yes. Are we still gonna do the damn thing? Damn right we are.
The Krewe of House Floats (KoHF) will return in 2022 whether Mardi Gras is happening or not (as of this writing, we’re waiting on the mayor). But regardless, once again we will organize and encourage you, whether you’re a New Orleanian or not, and whether you live in New Orleans or not, to decorate your homes as floats for Mardi Gras and be on our map. KoHF will also facilitate connections between artists and homeowners.
We (all y’all) were able to help a whole lot of people last Carnival – $30,000, actually, and that’s just representing our formal philanthropic efforts. We heard colloquially that we saved businesses from bankruptcy, and kept float artists who were otherwise facing lean times in their homes.
And well, the need’s still there.
Thinking a lot about how our musicians have suffered – and missing that incredible feeling when live music is performed mere feet away from you, where you can feel the drumbeats in your chest – we decided to partner with the Music and Culture Coalition of New Orleans (MaCCNO) for Mardi Gras 2022. This 501(c)(3) collaborates with the New Orleans music and cultural community to preserve and nurture our culture – what makes New Orleans and Mardi Gras so special.
We wanted to make an announcement at the beginning of September, which would have made a nice tidy six months to Mardi Gras day. But, we kinda felt that making that announcement in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Ida was maybe a bad look. Besides, none of us had power, so it was just not happening.
So what’s happening now? Well, we’ll be making adjustments from last year to make things a bit smoother. Up next we’ll be on the lookout for a new grand marshal (we’ll always love you, Freedia). We’ll make that announcement on Twelfth Night but to give you something to do in the meantime, we want to hear the wisdom of the crowd. You honestly might have a better suggestion than what we can come up with, so feel free to tag your ideas on social media with #KoHFGrandMarshal.
Will “regular” Mardi Gras happen? Who knows. Will we continue as a part of Mardi Gras, no matter what shape that takes? Hell yes.