Glenn Jumonville
Who is he?
Glenn Jumonville, a Lafayette, Louisiana native, has participated in New Orleans Mardi Gras festivities a total of 15 times in various capacities. He explains that he has ridden in one of the most famous of the New Orleans parades, Bacchus only once. However, he has attended the ball for this same organization a total of five times. The schedule “Attending the ball was quite relaxed,” he says but goes on to express that, “riding in the parade is very different.” As far as the ball goes, he and his wife typically drive to New Orleans early in the day so that they have time to attend the Bash, which is a party that takes place in the Warehouse district, a strip of converted warehouses that hold businesses ranging from restaurants and coffee shops to trendy clothing boutiques and modern art galleries. He explains now that they typically begin drinking at this party as well. “Drinking is always part of the fun, we listen to music and let the good times roll,” he adds, following the motto of New Orleans as a whole, but especially around Mardi Gras season, "laissez le bon temps rouler." Once this party is over, Glenn and his wife head back to their hotel, located across the street from the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, where the ball is held, and begin preparing for the party to come. “The ball is formal, so dress and tux. We bring our alcohol with us and have food delivered to our table at the ball,” Glenn explains.
He goes on to explains that the ball begins around 6:00 in the evening and they stay there until the end of the Bacchus parade. At this point, the float and all of its riders will conclude their parade by rolling right through the convention center and past all of the partygoers. “We stay and party with the parade rolling through the ball, until about 4 am, lots of fun,” Glenn explains. Riding in the parade This leads him to begin explaining the one experience he had with riding in the Bacchus parade. “Days prior to the parade, beads are purchased and loaded on the float,” he says. He expresses that the morning of the parade begins pretty early, as it is an all day event, quite literally. The participants dress in costumes, have lunch together and spend a large bit of time together preparing themselves for the upcoming festivities. Next, before the parade is to begin, riders “board” the floats and make their way to the “staging area.” At this point, there are many restaurants who have set up booths in order to serve the crews food before the remainder of their nights’ festivities. “Then we ride,” he says, “The ride is long and it's a lot of bead throwing in the middle of stopping to get a drink when you can.” The end, of course, is at the convention center where the party goes on long after the parade is over. |
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