NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – Mardi Gras is officially in full swing.
The Krewe of Nefertiti rolled in New Orleans East Sunday, kicking off the start of float parades.
Hundreds gathered along Lake Forest and Read boulevards to get their first throws of the season.
According to this year krewe captain, Zenia Smith, the krewe’s motto is: “We serve before we roll.”
“So, what we do is every year we get together, and we do a host of community service,” explained Smith. “So, the parade is actually the lagniappe. The parade is the big finale to an amazing year. So, we’re excited to bring this parade to New Orleans East.”
Smith says she and her krewe are extra grateful this year.
“You don’t realize you miss something until it’s gone,” said Smith. “So, with us not being able to have Mardi Gras for the last year [and] now having it, it’s just the excitement is heightened.”
Families traveled from across the area to experience New Orleans’ first float parade of the 2022 Mardi Gras season.
“We live uptown where the parades start. This is our first time coming to the New Orleans East parade,” said Lakeba Griffith, who brought her family to the parade/
The Krewe of Nefertiti Parade wasn’t only the first float parade of the season but also the first float parade since before the pandemic.
“After the pandemic, this has just been a wonderful thing for them to actually get to see what New Orleans is about,” said Griffith.
The kids are just as excited to resume their Mardi Gras traditions.
“Now that we have Mardi Gras again, now we get to have a lot of fun, and every day, we could come out and see a lot of people,” said Devionne Coulter, who attended the parade with his mother.
Next up: The Krewe of Chewbaccus rolls in the Marigny Saturday, February 3.
The parade starts at 7 p.m. at the corner of Homer Plessey Way and St. Claude Avenue.
