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last update
June 19, 2018 |
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Please join our email list and keep up with all Southern
Decadence news:
Southern Decadence
started forty-seven years ago as a simple going-away party.
As a top gay Labor Day Weekend destination, it has evolved into one of
our world's major annual
events. It is one of the largest annual celebrations and
festivals in New Orleans, and has become known as the "Gay Mardi
Gras." People begin to arrive on the Wednesday before Labor
Day, and generally don't even think about stopping or going home
until the following Tuesday.
Attendance in 2017 broke all records, with over 210,000 gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
participants, and an economic impact
estimated to be in excess of $250 million.
Southern Decadence is the fifth largest annual event in the City of
New Orleans, exceeded only by Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, Essence
Festival,
and French Quarter Festival. As Liberace once said,
"Too much of a good thing is wonderful."
 New Orleans' wildest neighborhood gets even crazier as the French
Quarter is packed for the entire event; however, the big day is
Sunday. That's when the
Grand Marshals lead the annual walking parade through the streets
beginning at 2 p.m.
The theme for 2017 was Electrified, and the official colors
were "All Colors in Neon," as announced at the Grand Marshals'
Press Party at The Bourbon Pub / Parade.
The theme and colors for 2018 will be announced soon.
The corner of Bourbon and St. Ann Streets is
generally considered to be the epicenter of
Gay New
Orleans, and even more so during the Southern Decadence
festival weekend. At that
intersection is the largest gay nightclub,
The Bourbon Pub
video bar and
The Parade
dance
club, which is home to the hottest dancers in town.
And most of the city's
main
gay attractions are within a few blocks.
Check out our French Quarter Map.
 Most
street party activities take place in the immediate area of
the French Quarter, and the dance parties are in the clubs.
Since the gay bars never
close, there is something happening around the clock.
Some of
the nation's best DJs work the crowds to a frenzy.
Guest DJs for 2017 were Kidd Madonny (an encore to his
amazing performances the past several years), the legendary
DJ Robbie Leslie (spinning a very special Sunday Tea Dance),
and DJ Whitney Day. VJs Brendan
Thompson and Chris Allen served the video entertainment
at The Bourbon Pub.
No wonder the weekend is often
referred to as
Southern DecaDANCE!
The Bourbon Street Extravaganza, the FREE outdoor
concert at the corner of Bourbon
and St. Ann Streets,
will return in 2018 for its fourteenth anniversary show on
Saturday afternoon, September 1st. Superstar Deborah Cox
will return in 2018
for her fourth time to
headline the Bourbon Street Extravaganza.
She will be joined by the legendary Tony and Grammy
Award-willing Jennifer Holliday, and Jeanie Tracy
(the Queen of Southern Decadence, returning for her 14th
consecutive year).
Complete Bourbon Street
Extravaganza information is
HERE.
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Click here for the tentative
Friday Night and
Sunday Afternoon
SOUTHERN DECADENCE 2018
PARADE ROUTES
Beginning at about 7:30 p.m. on Friday, August 31st
and at about 2 p.m. on Sunday, September 2nd
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We remember
ERROL RUZZUTO
Southern Decadence Grand Marshall XXVII from 1999
-- The Dark Lady of Decadence --
and
RICK THOMAS -- BIG RICK
Southern Decadence Grand Marshall XXIX from 2001
Good friends of Southern Decadence who recently passed.
( IMAGES FROM SOUTHERNDECADENCE.NET ARCHIVES )
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PAST AND
FUTURE
SOUTHERN DECADENCE DATES
(always Labor Day Weekend)
2015: September 2 through September 7
2016: August 31 through September 5
2017: August 30 through September 4
2018: August 30 through September 3
2019: August 28 through September 2
2020: September 2 through September 7 |
Got a
question?
Please check our list of Frequently Asked Questions.
Or email us at
info@southerndecadence.net
("DECADANCE" is a registered trade name of
SouthernDecadence.net)
Southern Decadence web site contents are Copyright
2018 SouthernDecadence.net
Please read our copyright policy on the Press
and Media page regarding the use of this material.
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