New Orleans on Parade tells the story of the Big Easy in the twentieth century. In this urban biography, J. Mark Souther explores the Crescent City's architecture, music, food and alcohol, folklore and spiritualism, Mardi Gras festivities, and illicit sex commerce in revealing how New Orleans became a city that parades itself to visitors and residents alike. Stagnant between the Civil War and World War II -- a period of great expansion nationally -- New Orleans unintentionally preserved its distinctive physical appearance and culture. Though business, civic, and government leaders tried to pursue conventional modernization in the 1940s, competition from other Sunbelt cities as well as a national economic shift from production to consumption gradually led them to seize on tourism as the growth engine for future prosperity, giving rise to a veritable gumbo of sensory attractions. A trend in historic preservation and the influence of outsiders helped fan this newfound identity, and the city's residents learned to embrace rather than disdain their past. A growing reliance on the tourist trade fundamentally affected social relations in New Orleans. African Americans were cast as actors who shaped the culture that made tourism possible while at the same time they were exploited by the local power structure. As black leaders' influence increased, the white elite attempted to keep its traditions -- including racial inequality -- intact, and race and class issues often lay at the heart of controversies over progress. Once the most tolerant diverse city in the South and the nation, New Orleans came to lag behind the rest of the country in pursuing racial equity. Souther traces the ascendancy of tourism in New Orleans through the final decades of the twentieth century and beyond, examining the 1984 World's Fair, the collapse of Louisiana's oil industry in the eighties, and the devastating blow dealt by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Narrated in a lively style and resting on a bedrock of research, New Orleans on Parade is a landmark book that allows readers to fully understand the image-making of the Big Easy.

After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and the surrounding region in 2005, the city debated whether to press on with Mardi Gras or cancel the parades. Ultimately, they decided to proceed. New Orleans’s recovery certainly has resulted from a complex of factors, but the city’s unique cultural life—perhaps its greatest capital—has been instrumental in bringing the city back from the brink of extinction. Voicing a civic fervor, local writer Chris Rose spoke for the importance of Carnival when he argued to carry on with the celebration of Mardi Gras following Katrina: “We are still New Orleans. We are the soul of America. We embody the triumph of the human spirit. Hell, we ARE Mardi Gras." Since 2006, a number of new Mardi Gras practices have gained prominence. The new parade organizations or krewes, as they are called, interpret and revise the city’s Carnival traditions but bring innovative practices to Mardi Gras. The history of each parade reveals the convergence of race, class, age, and gender dynamics in these new Carnival organizations. Downtown Mardi Gras: New Carnival Practices in Post-Katrina New Orleans examines six unique, offbeat, Downtown celebrations. Using ethnography, folklore, cultural studies, and performance studies, the authors analyze new Mardi Gras’s connection to traditional Mardi Gras. The narrative of each krewe’s development is fascinating and unique, illustrating participants’ shared desire to contribute to New Orleans’s rich and vibrant culture.

From the revelers on horseback in Eunice and Mamou to the miles-long New Orleans parade routes lined with eager spectators shouting “Throw me something, mister!,” no other Louisiana tradition celebrates the Pelican State’s cultural heritage quite like Mardi Gras. In Carnival in Louisiana, Brian J. Costello offers Mardi Gras fans an insider’s look at the customs associated with this popular holiday and travels across the state to explore each area’s festivities. Costello brings together the stories behind the tradition, gleaned from his research and personal involvement in Carnival. His fascinating tour of the season’s parades, balls, courirs, and other events held throughout Louisiana go beyond the well-known locales for Mardi Gras. Exploring the diverse cultural roots of state-wide celebrations, Costello includes festivities in Lafayette, Baton Rouge, New Roads, and Shreveport. From venerable floats to satirical parades, exclusive events to spontaneous street parties, Carnival in Louisiana is an indispensable guide for Mardi Gras attendees, both veteran Krewe members seeking to expand their horizons and first-time tourists hoping to experience of all sides of Louisiana’s favorite season.

"Explores the history, social ties, fashion, dance, and music of second lines, participatory parades put on by New Orleans's network of social aid and pleasure clubs. "Dancing in the Streets" brings together historical photographs with the work of ten contemporary second line photographers, profiles all clubs active today, and explores the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tradition"--

Presents twenty-two color maps and accompanying essays providing details on the people, ecology, and culture of the city.

Hop in the car and set off on an adventure along the Natchez Trace Parkway, from the country music capital to the birthplace of jazz. Inside Moon Nashville to New Orleans Road Trip you'll find: Maps and Driving Tools: Over 20 easy-to-use maps keep you oriented on and off the parkway, along with site-to-site mileage, driving times, and detailed directions for the entire route Get to Know the Music of the South: Catch up-and-coming musicians play at quaint cafes, and hit the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. Bask in the sounds of blues on Beale Street, and pay homage to "The King" at Graceland. Listen to a soulful live jazz group, or learn about the South's musical legacy on the Mississippi Blues Trail Savor Southern Food: Enjoy authentic hot chicken, get your barbecue fix in Memphis, and indulge in Creole cuisine and fresh beignets in New Orleans Itineraries for Every Traveler: Drive the entire two-week route or follow suggestions for spending time in and around Nashville, Memphis, and New Orleans. Take an introspective moment at influential Civil Rights Movement sites, hike past dramatic waterfalls, spend a peaceful morning fishing, or bike along the Mississippi River Local Expertise: Nashville local Margaret Littman shares her love for the Natchez Trace Planning Your Trip: Know when and where to get gas, how to avoid traffic, and tips for driving in different road and weather conditions, plus essential advice for biking the route and suggestions for LGBTQ+ travelers, families, seniors, and visitors with disabilities With Moon Nashville to New Orleans' practical tips, detailed itineraries, and insider's view, you're ready to fill up the tank and hit the road. Looking to explore more of America on wheels? Try Moon Blue Ridge Parkway Road Trip. For more quintessential South, check out Moon Tennessee or Moon Asheville & the Great Smoky Mountains. About Moon Travel Guides: Moon was founded in 1973 to empower independent, active, and conscious travel. We prioritize local businesses, outdoor recreation, and traveling strategically and sustainably. Moon Travel Guides are written by local, expert authors with great stories to tell—and they can't wait to share their favorite places with you. For more inspiration, follow @moonguides on social media.

The popular poster series presented in opulent color. This collection of vibrant posters contains dozens of iconic Carnival memories from renowned airbrush artist Andrea Mistretta. Glimmering like colored jewels against the book's velvety black background, the flamboyant posters have delighted locals and tourists alike since 1985. Created for lovers of New Orleans, art collectors, and Mardi Gras aficionados, this beautiful volume gathers all of the posters in the series for the first time to stunning effect.