The complaints led to a vocal response from business owners and hoteliers in New Orleans, in support of the festival. There were examples of men exposing themselves to others for beads, similar to the way women have long exposed their breasts for the traditional Mardi Gras balcony bead toss.
In 2003 there was a formal petition filed to have the event terminated, with video footage handed over to officials depicting dozens of men engaged in "public sex acts". In years past, religious and conservative groups have rallied against the festival. The theme and colors for 2022 will be announced in June. The theme for 2019 was “Fruit Salad: Come Toss A Good Time” and the official “colors” are Polka Dots and Pinstripes. The theme for 2018 was "House of Bourbon - Unleash Your Beast." The official colors were Royal Blue and Canary Yellow. They have ranged from themes as varied as "Voodoo That You Do", "Menage à Trois", "Ancient Truths, Lies, and Sacrifice", and "Hurricane: This Year, They Blow Back." They have been featured every year that the Decadence has been held since then. Themes were presented on and off from the beginning, but did not become a consistent fixture of the event until "Plagues, Pests, Parasites" theme in 1988. Dykes on Bikes and other lesbian groups participate in the annual parade in the French Quarter and GrrlSpot (lesbian party promoter) sponsors a few events for lesbians. ĭecadence caters primarily to gay men, but is still lesbian friendly. In 2018, there were over 250,000 participants and the positive economic impact on the City of New Orleans was estimated at over $275 million. Ann streets.Ĭrowds range from 100,000 to 300,000 revelers from across the nation and world.
Most events take place in or around the French Quarter neighbourhood centered at the intersection of Bourbon and St. Decadence crowds in the Quarter typically match or exceed Mardi Gras crowds. In these ways it resembles New Orleans Mardi Gras, however, Southern Decadence tends to be more sexual in tone and is generally geared towards more upscale and mature revelers. Characteristics ĭecadence, as it is commonly known by participants, is marked by parades, bead tossing, street parties and dance parties. The event expanded with Frederick Douglas Wright, an African American, appointed as the first grand marshal by members of the original group in 1974, who would have complete control over the parade of incredible characters and costumes as they marched through the French Quarter. This first group impersonated people and characters ranging from Belle Watling (the prostitute character in Gone With the Wind) and Mary Ann Mobley to Tallulah Bankhead and Helen Keller. The first small "walking parade" occurred the following year when the participants first met at Johnny Matassa's Bar in the French Quarter to show off their costumes and then walk back home to Belle Reve, a name taken from A Streetcar Named Desire, in the Tremé neighbourhood via Esplanade Avenue.
Two weeks later, the group threw another party as a farewell to Michael Evers, who left to join his lover, David Randolph, in Michigan. They billed their event as "Southern Decadence Party: Come As Your Favorite Southern Decadent." People who attended were required to dress as their favorite decadent Southerner. The event traces its beginnings to August 1972, as an end-of-summer party among a group of 40–50 friends both straight and gay.