KREWE BOHEME … is one of the first parades to roll each Mardi Gras season. It begins in the Marigny and parades through the French Quarter.

IT WAS FOUNDED … in 2018, and first debuted in 2019, making it one of the newer Mardi Gras moments. This parade focuses on the detail, with ornate, hand-pulled floats and great marching bands, dancers and vaudeville performers. It really feels like you’ve stepped back into some act of the Moulin Rouge in the late 1800s.

THE OVERALL THEME … is always dedicated in some way to absinthe, and The Green Fairy. The bon vivant nature of the Belle Epoch era is always their mystical guiding reason for celebration. In 2019, the inaugural theme was “L’heure Verte” – The Green Hour. This year, it was Absinthe Minded.

UNDERSTANDING A KREWE : It can be a little weird, if you aren’t familiar with Mardi Gras. The krewes are huge civic organizations, with each made up of specific sub krewes. A given sub krewe — like the Merry Antoinettes, for example, — will have its own theme and will march is several large parades during Mardi Gras season. There are sub krewes dedicated to all manner of things, from culture points, like Star Wars and the God of Wine, to more esoteric obsessions. Last year, I watched a Jennifer Coolidge parade krewe, and also one dedicated to Adam Sandler’s Lunch Lady.

THE MERRY ANTOINETTES … are one of the largest krewes under Krewe Bohéme, dedicated to royalty, ribald humor, scandalous finery and merry making. They are also one of my favorite moments of the year. The costumes are extravagant; often created by acclaimed costumers from around the world.

THE BEST WAY TO CATCH A PARADE … is always to venture down to the lineup, an hour prior to the parade’s start time. You can see the costumes up close, chat with krewe members, sip a drink and really immerse yourself in how a parade comes together. Then, go find a spot on the route, to see it in full glorious action. For Bohéme, we like to watch it by the rBar in the Marigny.

Big thank you to Bohéme, for a really gorgeous evening.