Mardi Gras Event Guide

Mardi Gras is one of the most happenin' times of the year in the city of New Orleans. There is more to do here than just wait on parades. In fact, there are usually many diversions here. I could not have chosen a better time to come back. The weather is nice, Mardi Gras has just begun and The Saints may have already single handedly saved the economy of New Orleans!

Here are some interesting things to get into. Some of them may seem a little hipsterish or even quite weird. New Orleans is a diverse and colorful city after all.

1. Live music always means a good time. Check the schedules of popular venues like the House of Blues, One Eyed Jacks, Bon Temps Roulet, The Republic, Howlin' Wolf and the BMC! Many concerts are listed at www.pollstar.com. Also check http://www.houseofblues.com/venues/clubvenues/neworleans/

2. Casinos like Harrahs offer reasonable parking, drinks and gambling. Sometimes there are live performances here too.

3. Pagans of all denominations network and meet in New Orleans all the time! Recently I went to a potluck celebration and welcoming ritual for the Celtic holiday Imbolc with a group of wiccans I met through my new favorite networking site, meetup.com. One group, the "Lamplight Circle" has weekly drum circles and can help many sects of pagans network to find each other!

4. It may sound weird, but if you are into vampires, goth, BDSM or sadomasochism, there is a huge scene for it in New Orleans, no doubt. This city is perhaps the capital city of debauchery after all. On the weekends some fun places to go include The Dungeon at the corner of Toulouse and Bourbon Streets, The Whirling Dirvish, and Dragon's Den. Not sure what a BDSM scene looks like? Here is a weekly meetup http://www.myspace.com/corrosionwednesdays and a performing group www.myspace.com/atonepaintribe on MySpace

5. Go to Jackson Square to see street performers, buy original art or get a tarot card reading!

6. Eat authentic creole cuisine. Jambalaya. Crawfish Et Touffee. Alligator gumbo, king cake, pralines and more! I recommend trying a doughnut-like desert called beignets (pronounced bin yays) at Cafe Du Monde on Decatur St. They're like cocaine. You'll see what I mean.

7. Dress in costumes. In New Orleans many people dress quite weird, and this happens on any given day of the yer, not just near Halloween and Mardi Gras.

8. Learn about Voodoo! See art and authentic Voodoo shops (one of them gives a tour) on Royal Street. I recommend Madame Erzulie's and Voodoo Authentica. You can visit Madame Marie Laveau's tomb in the St. Louis Graveyard.

9. Haunted History Tours! www.hauntedhistory.com. All of their guides are well educated, theatrical storytellers. This is good family fun and a little bit scary too.

10. Football parties! The Saints made history this year and they will be competing in the superbowl! That's definitely worth showing spirit over. I have never been a football fan personally, but I am an avid, die hard fan of the city of New Orleans.

These are only a few of many fun activities a person can get into in New Orleans. It's not difficult to find a party. When going to the city at Mardi Gras time, it may be harder to find a place where you would not have a good time.