I am at Mardi Gras having a blast. Monday and Mardi Gras Day we will be in New Orleans. I need some help! Mardi Gras morning there will be a Renaissance costumed walking club (group) who will be strolling the French Quarter of New Orleans. I don't know their name or touring schedule. They end their stroll at the Mississippi River then drop wreaths in it. Next, anyone who has ashes of loved ones may sprinkle them in the river. Can you please find a website with this the name and tour route of the touring group. I want to photo the event. This is a real funeral.
Today I attended the mock funeral for Joe Cain in Mobile, Alabama. Joe Cain was a real person who started Mardi Gras back up in 1866 after the Civil War. Sunday was Joe Cain Day aka the People's Mardi Gras Parade. The day starts with Cain's Widows with a grave side service at his actual grave. The Merry Widows are dressed in mourning attire from various times from bustle to present day. My favorite was his bustle beauty widow.bustle mourning dress, a garter, and she smokes a large cigar. At the cemetery after the funeral, a man got on bended knee and removed her garter. After the funeral there was a New Orleans Marching Club (with Dixieland jazz music like in the movies). We went to the MG parade where the Merry Widows were on the first Mardi Gras float. While waiting for the parade to begin, the widows walk around giving out black roses and black strands of beads, lucky people also get a cup, special beads, and a black garter. Guess what I got?!!! All the previous and press access to walk around and photograph all of this!!! I weaved all my roses together to make a wreath of black roses for my head. I walked back to my holding area and one of my crew noticed a lot of women in red attire stationed before the Merry Widows Float. We HAD to check this out! The women were Joe Cain's Mistresses. One Lady in Red looked at my black rose wreath and said, "You need some red in there and handed me two red roses." Love press access! Later, I weaved the red roses into my wreath. I photographed and filmed the entire parade. Ever want to be a target at a MG parade, put a video camera on a tripod. Mine was covered with MG beads. I had to hold on to the tripod to keep my camcorder from falling. Beads were hitting my head and hanging from the wreath on my head. Some Photos: Please do not copy these photos.I am just putting them online quickly to show you. All the Widows during graveside service: http://www.costumegallery.com/MardiGras/2011/Mobile/JoeCain/Widow3LG.jpg Merry Widows after service with the trumpeter from Marching Club: http://www.costumegallery.com/MardiGras/2011/Mobile/JoeCain/Widow2LG.jpg Joe Cain's Real Grave: http://www.costumegallery.com/MardiGras/2011/Mobile/JoeCain/grave1LG.jpg Me with the Bustle Widow: http://www.costumegallery.com/MardiGras/2011/Mobile/JoeCain/Widow1LG.jpg Joe Cain's Mistress: http://www.costumegallery.com/MardiGras/2011/Mobile/JoeCain/Mistress1LG.jpg Me & my Mobile Crew.you can see the wreath of Cain roses: http://www.costumegallery.com/MardiGras/2011/Mobile/JoeCain/crew1LG.jpg Got to go to bed! A BIG day ahead! Penny Ladnier, owner The Costume Gallery Websites <http://www.costumegallery.com/> www.costumegallery.com 15 websites of fashion, costume, and textile history FaceBook: <http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Costume-Gallery-Websites/107498415961579> http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Costume-Gallery-Websites/107498415961579 _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
