Oct 20, 2024 - Culture

What it's like to ride in Krewe of Boo

Carlie Kollath Wells

Photo shows two people dressed as armadillos holding a sign that says "throw me sumptin' carlie! i'm an axios subscriber." — Thank you to all the Axios readers we saw on the route. Y'all are amazing and we're so grateful for you. Photo: Carlie Kollath Wells/Axios

New Orleans welcomed Halloween Saturday in the best way we know possible: A parade.

What it matters: I rode in Krewe of Boo to get a firsthand look at what it takes to put on the party.

The big picture: Brian Kern, the krewe captain and an Axios New Orleans member, gifted us two spots to ride, in addition to throws.

It's the first time I've ridden in a float parade in years. The last time, I was a Girl Scout in a truck parade.
And a parade through the French Quarter is a next level experience.

Photo shows Carlie and Maddy with Axios New Orleans koozies. — Behold, it's a skeleton (Carlie) and Tinker Bell (Maddy). Photo: Carlie Kollath Wells/Axios

Catch up quick: Krewe of Boo first rolled in 2008 as a fundraiser for Hurricane Katrina relief, according to the krewe's website.

It went on hiatus for few years and returned in 2013.
The parade has now expanded into a weekend of events — the Zombie Run, a second-line in the French Quarter, the parade and several other parties.

Behind the scenes: I stayed up late the night before the parade hot-glueing my tall headdress. Then, I went to Jessica Masters at She Comes in Peace for skull face paint.

Axios colleague Maddy Johnston and I started our party on Frenchmen Street with costumed krewe members.
We chatted with the Laissez Boys, the Amelia EarHawts and a creepy Pennywise on our way to the Headless Horseman float.
We spent the next hour unpacking beads, Zapp's, Moon Pies and the rest of the throws. Several Axios readers stopped by to say hello — yay! — and get a special koozie.

Image shows Carlie throwing a pack of Peeps. — Everyone wanted the Halloween-themed Peeps. Image: Maddy Johnston/Axios

The ride: Talk about an adrenaline rush. Maddy and I danced and threw beads for three hours straight.

The crowds were solid from the French Market all the way to the end near St. Joseph Street. Beetlejuice seemed to be the most popular costume of the evening.

And we saw your Axios signs! Y'all made my night. I'm sorry my cup-throwing ability wasn't skilled enough to get swag to all of you.

💭 Maddy's thought bubble: Everyone dancing and smiling and having a good time is such a special reminder of how amazing it is to live here, and it was so fun to see it from the float perspective vs. watching in the crowd.

The bottom line: If you haven't been in a New Orleans parade before, add it to your bucket list.