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last update
March 21, 2019 |
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Decadence news:
Southern Decadence
started forty-eight 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 2018 broke all records, with over 250,000 gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
participants, and an economic impact
estimated to be in excess of $275 million.
Southern Decadence is one of the top five annual events in the
City of
New Orleans, along with 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 2018 was "House of Bourbon - Unleash Your Beast",
and the official colors were Royal Blue and Canary Yellow,
as announced at the Grand Marshals'
Press Party
at The Bourbon Pub / Parade.
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.
 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 2018 included Kidd Madonny (an encore to his
amazing performances the past several years) for The After
Dark Party on Saturday night. New York resident
and New Orleans native
DJ Max Rodriguez was also on hand, joining VJs Brendan
Thompson and Chris Allen
to provide 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 on Saturday afternoon, celebrated its
fourteenth anniversary in 2018. Superstar Deborah Cox
returned in 2018
for her fourth time to
headline the Bourbon Street Extravaganza.
She was joined by the legendary Tony and Grammy
Award-winning
Jennifer Holliday, and Jeanie Tracy (the Queen of Southern
Decadence,
returning for her 14th
consecutive year).
The Bourbon Street Extravaganza will return in 2019 for its
15th anniversary.
Complete Bourbon Street
Extravaganza information is
HERE.
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PAST AND
FUTURE
SOUTHERN DECADENCE DATES
(always Labor Day Weekend)
2016: August 31 through September 5
2017: August 30 through September 4
2018: August 30 through September 3
2019: August 29 through September 2
2020: September 3 through September 7
2021: September 2 through September 6 |
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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