Carnival has commenced and with it comes the inebriated nights chasing after floats, the unveiling of dapper debutantes into society and black-tie balls to see you through the morning. Though the fledgling Krewe of Freret won't be partaking in the parade part this year, they're still going to party. The krewe announced their stellar lineup for their second annual open bar black-tie masquerade ball on January 25 at Mardi Gras World.  It’s difficult to beat an open bar filled with anonymous faces in tails.  

With an early Mardi Gras, Carnival krewes have less time to get their floats and costumes ready. Plus, the marching groups had to do the Super Bowl shuffle to make way for the Big Game. The parade season tone-setters of Krewe du Vieux - who are already under the gun for this year's Jan. 19 march - could be complaining about being in a world of shit as a result of these developments. But, as always, they've simply released Le Monde de Merde for the rest of us to roll around in with glee, and announced a theme that cuts off all feelings of misery and misfortune marked by daily life in the City of Dreams at the head.

by Erica Boni

Rather than tossing shoes off the side of a float, the Krewe of Muses invites you to strap them on your feet Friday night, and get ready to dance! Don’t miss your chance to relive the excitement of the parade while simultaneously helping to lift up some ladies that could use it.

Today's local viral sensation has nothing to do with finding women at a big-box store or comedians introducing a basketball team. A NOLA Femmes post by A.L. Mueller's  about her daughter's dashed Carnival dreams that was posted yesterday is making waves not for shock value, but because of its strong tug at the heartstrings. And, as a result of the outpouring, the Krewe of Muses are making a rare Lenten opening of their Uptown den.

NoDef Theatre Critic Jim Fitmorris continues the conversation about Mardi Gras and the New Orleans theatre community by proposing a four-act roadmap for moving local stage productions out of the shadows of tractor floats.

CBD -- Mardi Gras is a feast of creativity and a triumph of the human spirit. But, as any city worker can tell you, it's also a public works windfall. Whether it's picking up trash or getting the streets closed to make the parade run on time, city workers are involved at all levels to help The Greatest Free Show on Earth go off without a hitch. Today, Mayor Mitch, NOPD Chief Ronal Serpas and other brass stepped back to the podium once again to run down the stats from this year's Carnival season.

The Season of Do Whatcha Wanna has once again come to a rollicking end, as huge crowds gathered on the Uptown parade route, French Quarter and throughout downtown New Orleans under mostly blue skies to keep Mardi Gras as it should be.

The Bearded Oysters Dance Troupe began in 2004 with a few homemade merkins, some fake facial hair, and a whole lot of glitter. Since then, it has become one of the local favorites, marching in Muses and Orpheus while encouraging sisterhood, sexiness and shucking throughout New Orleans and beyond.

Today, Carnival continues with en exploding schedule of parades, the Baccus Bash crashes Tips, Bam Margera’s Boobie Bash makes an jackass of Republic, and Talib Kweli spins upstairs at Maison. But let us not forget the year of 1977, when Mahalia Jacksonn won a Grammy for ‘Best Soul Gospel Performance’ for the album How I Got Over.

Updated 2.18.12, 2:30 PM

Once again, rains across the metro area forced the Mardi Gras parade schedule to shift. But this time it was a little more than moving up the start time 30 minutes. This morning's Uptown parades of Iris and Tucks have been moved off the Saturday slate. Iris will now roll at 10 a.m. Sunday, and Tucks will roll at 3 p.m. Monday. Meanwhile, the West Bank's big show, NOMTOC, will now parade Uptown at 9 a.m. Sunday. That leaves the matter of Endymion.