Mardi
Gras 2008—feb 5th marks the 152nd anniversary of this
monumental event. New Orleans’ carnival, the largest
party in the northern hemisphere, has been highly anticipated
this year for many more reasons than simply the opportunity
for drunken revelry or the much needed cash infusion—NOLA’s
annual economic inoculation generates more than $1 billion
for local industry. While everyone recognizes how critical
this event is for our local commercial landscape, no one knows
what else the festivities are going to bring this year…Mardi
Gras has always been epitomized by the fun-filled chaos that
ensues during the Carnival season, and in 2008, only two and 1/2 years
after Katrina, this Mardi Gras is shaping up to
be one heckuva great time.
Beyond the "usual" cavalcades of floats, colorful costumes, multitudes of bystanders, flambeauxs, stallions, musical celebration, and wondrous appreciation of this city, some people will be enticed down here by the opportunity to see the celebrity Carnival royalty in the flesh. In 2008, Hulk Hogan (and his pythons) will be reigning over Bacchus, and Kevin Costner has been named King of Endymion. But no other Krewe puts as much focus on celebrity participation as Orpheus who have a long list of celebrity riders. The Krewe of Orpheus Monarchs are Indy 500 winner/Dancing With the Stars champion Helio Castroneves, the Crescent City's own Sidney Torres, and hip-hop queens and reality TV divas Salt-N-Pepa. They will be joined by a royal court including New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton, American Idol finalist and country music star Josh Gracin, former N'Sync member Lance Bass, Broadway Hairspray's Kevin Meany, MTV Real World Sydney's Cohutta, Dunbar, and Issac, The Young and the Restless' Christian LeBlanc, and finally, Guiding Light's Rick Paull Goldin.
Numbers for this years Mardi Gras attendance look great with expectations rivaling last year's Carnaval attendance of over 800,000 people. This is no small feat considering Mardi Gras arrives so early this year. Louis Armstrong International is servicing 132 Daily flights arriving into the city up from 100 last year, and New Orleans is up to 32,000 hotel rooms operating at full speed from 27,000 only a year ago. If you’re lucky enough to find a bed in the great
city of New Orleans, I suggest you do everything you can to
come and see it first hand.
Find Great Deals on New Orleans Hotel Rooms for Mardi Gras!
New
Orleans Hotel Guide
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