New Orleans funk musician George Porter Jr. will reign as the king of the 2021 Krewe of BOO! Halloween parade, with Grammy-nominated performer Mannie Fresh serving as grand marshal. The parade will roll through the French Quarter and CBD on Saturday, Oct. 23.
Krewe of Boo marks the first parade to roll in New Orleans in 18 months, and it could also determine the fate of Carnival 2022.
Porter, most famous for his tenure as bassist for The Meters, has performed with diverse, well-known musicians, including Dr. John, Allen Toussaint, The Wild Tchoupitoulas, Jimmy Buffett, Patti LaBelle and Paul McCartney. Fresh, a producer and DJ, has worked with Lil Wayne, B.G., Juvenile, Turk, Rick Ross, Mia X and Lil Jon.
The parade will kick off Halloween week festivities. For the first time, the Budweiser Clydesdales will be featured in the parade. The krewe has also added a salute to its monarch with a toast from the balcony of the Sheraton New Orleans, at 500 Canal Street, during the parade.
Organizers say the parade will feature more than 400 riders on 13 floats and more than 30 marching, dancing and riding krewes.
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After a 2019 route change due to the Hard Rock Hotel collapse and a 2020 cancellation because of COVID-19, the parade will return to its normal route for 2021. It begins at 6:30 p.m. on Elysian Fields in the Marigny, turns right on North Peters Street, and rolls through the French Quarter to the Warehouse District. The parade will disband at Andrew Higgins Drive.
Other events will surround parade festivities including a Royal Luncheon at House of Blues on Oct. 22 and the traditional two-mile Zombie Run on Oct. 23.
The official Krewe of Boo after party, the Monster Mash After Party, will take place at 8 p.m. at Generations Hall. The ticketed costume event will feature the Top Cats and local DJs.
Krewe of Boo organizers Brian Kern said his aim is to “make New Orleans a premier destination on Planet Earth for Halloween.”
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“The Krewe of BOO! will again seek to reduce parade waste that ends up in landfills by primarily throwing New Orleans-made food items and local collectible objects that parade goers will want to consume or keep as mementos,” Kern said.
Throws will include items from PJ’s Coffee, Elmer’s CheeWees, MoonPie Minis from Chattanooga Bakery, Aunt Sally’s Pralinettes and cups from Giacona Container Corporation.
The Louisiana Film Channel will live-stream the parade for the first time this year.
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