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BALCONIES & GRANDSTANDS
Enjoy watching a parade from an elevated perch with room to sit? Not thrilled at the prospect of having to contend with porta potties? Prefer to revel above the frenzied fray on Bourbon Street? Like food and other amenities provided for your partying pleasure?
While there's something to be said for mixing it up with the hoi polloi in the streets, access to grandstands and balconies — the Mardi Gras equivalent of skyboxes at arenas and stadiums — does offer certain advantages. Because let's face it: The Greatest Free Show on Earth draws quite a crowd!
If you’re stuck in pedestrian gridlock on Bourbon Street, or tired of standing amidst the malodorous refuse of a raging party, a perch on a balcony can seem most appealing.
Not only do balconies offer a good view of the action, they’re very much a part of the action — practically synonymous, in fact, with the theatricality of Mardi Gras in the French Quarter. Indeed, revelers on balconies engage in many of the “transactions” in the French Quarter bead economy. In other words, balconies are focal points for interaction between people with bead wealth and those who want to earn beads.
All of which makes balcony access a highly marketable commodity during Mardi Gras. Clubs and bars with balconies on or near Bourbon Street will likely be more than happy to sell you a balcony pass or a hospitality “package” that includes balcony access, food, drinks and perhaps beads.
Also, three hotels have rooms with balconies overlooking Bourbon Street: The Inn on Bourbon, the Royal Sonesta and the Bourbon Orleans. At the Inn on Bourbon, balcony rooms for Mardi Gras can be booked through the hotel’s reservations department (call 504-524-7611 or e-mail info@bourbonorleans.com). Typically, there’s a five-night minimum stay requirement for rooms with balconies on Bourbon Street. The earlier you book the better your chance of getting a Bourbon balcony room on the second floor (lower balconies are more conducive to interacting with people on the street, and thus tend to be more desirable). The hotel also has four corner rooms that open onto wraparound balconies. While Bourbon balcony rooms at the Bourbon Orleans are reserved for corporate clients, you can book rooms with balconies facing Orleans Avenue and St. Ann Street through the hotel’s reservation department (call 504-523-2222 or e-mail Reservations@BourbonOrleans.com). Minimium-stay requirements apply.
There's also the Courtyard By Marriott at the corner of St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street, with a prime second-floor balcony for parade viewing. Balcony rooms are in high demand for Mardi Gras, and are available only for groups booking 10 or more rooms. Call Marriott's regional sales office at 404-497-4697.
Not only does the City of New Orleans erect Mardi Gras grandstands that are accessible to the public, but so do some restaurants and other businesses situated along the St. Charles Ave./Canal St. parade route. Prices vary, with some establishments offering package deals that include food and libations.
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Grandstands
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DESCRIPTION ~ PRICE ~ CONTACT INFO |
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| Federal Reserve Bank, Lafayette Square, Lee Circle |
Tickets for these city-erected grandstands are complimentary for parades on Friday, Feb. 13 through Sunday, Feb. 15. Complete a request form at the Mayor's Office of Community Affairs and Special Events (1300 Perdido St., Room 8E08), then bring it to the Mayor's Volunteers In Government of Responsibility Office (Room 1W03) during normal business hours. Ticket pick up (limit four per person) is by appointment only (photo ID required).
Reserved seats for all other parades (Feb. 18 - 24) are available through Ticketmaster for $20 each.
Note: The Lafayette Square grandstand is situated across from Gallier Hall, where city dignitaries salute krewe royalty and where bands perform some of their best numbers/routines. Also note that parades typically reach city grandstand locations 2 - 4 hours after their starting times.
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Hotel Inter-Continental
(444 St. Charles Ave.) |
Friday, Feb. 13 (Oshun, Pygmalion), $5; Saturday, Feb. 14 (Pontchartrain, Sparta, Pegasus), $15; Sunday, Feb. 15 (Carrollton, King Arthur), $10; Wednesday, Feb. 18 (Druids), $10; Thursday, Feb. 19 (Babylon, Muses, Chaos), $30; Friday, Feb. 20 (Hermes, d'Etat, Morpheus), $35. Seats for day parades on Saturday, Feb. 21 (Iris, Tucks) and Sunday, Feb. 22 (Okeanos, Thoth, Mid-City) are $25.
Seating prices for all other parades are as follows: Endymion (Saturday night, Feb. 21), $80; Bacchus (Sunday night, Feb. 22), $50; Proteus/Orpheus (Monday night, Feb. 23), $50; Zulu/Rex/etc. (Fat Tuesday, Feb. 24), $75. All-day packages are $90 for Feb 21 and $60 for Feb. 22.
Buffets also available for Endymion ($55; children 4 to 12 years old, $22) and Fat Tuesday ($70; children, $35).
Available through TicketWeb (click here or call 866-468-7630).
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Le Chat Noir
(715 St. Charles Ave.)
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Balcony parade-viewing packages for night parades on Saturday, Feb. 21 (Endymion) and Sunday, Feb. 22 (Bacchus) are sold out. Admission for day parades (Feb. 21 and 22) is $50; for night parades on Thursday, Feb. 19; Friday, Feb. 20; and Monday, Feb. 23, $75. Closed Fat Tuesday, Feb. 24. Prices include open bar (house brands). Bring your own food. Call 504-581-5812 to reserve (Tues-Sat, 2 - 6 p.m.)
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Michaul's Live Cajun
Restaurant
(840 St. Charles Ave.) |
Admission runs from $80 for Druids (Feb. 18) up to to $160 for Endymion (Feb. 21) and Bacchus (Feb. 22). Full-day specials offered for Saturday, Feb. 14 ($140); Saturday, Feb. 21 ($225) and Sunday, Feb. 22 ($225). Fat Tuesday is $200. All prices include food, liquor (draft beer, house wine and call brands) and grandstand seating. For menu items, admission prices for children under 15, online order form and other details, clic here. Or call 504-522-5517 for reservations.
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Lee Circle Restaurant
936 St. Charles Ave. |
Call 504-962-0903 for details. |
Royal Grandstand
201 St. Charles Ave. |
Tickets are $8 for all parades rolling Feb. 13 - Feb. 20. Day parades on Saturday Feb. 21 and Sunday, Feb. 22 are $10. Endymion (Feb. 21) and Bacchus (Feb. 22) are $30. Proteus/Orpheus (Feb. 23) is $25. Fat Tuesday (Feb. 24), $35. To order online, click here. Or call 800-800-0550 for reservations. |
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Balconies
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| LOCATION |
PRICE ~ DESCRIPTION ~ CONTACT INFO |
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Rex Room
401 Bourbon St. |
All prices include open call-brand bar and buffet. For reservations, call 504-581-6665 or e-mail info@rexroom.com. |
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Bourbon Street Balcony
232 Bourbon St.
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Friday, Feb. 20, 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. - $150; Sunday, Feb. 22, 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. - $125. Open bar and sandwich trays included Fat Tuesday, Feb. 24, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. - $230. Openpremium bar and buffet by Pigeon Caterers included (menu). For reservations, call 504-586-0419 or e-mail 232bourbon@bellsouth.net
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Bourbon Vieux
501 Bourbon St.
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Friday, Feb. 20, 6 p.m. to midnight - $150; Saturday, Feb. 21, 6 p.m. to midnight - $150; Sunday, Feb. 22, 6 p.m. to midnight - $130; Monday, Feb. 23 - $95 (10 a.m. to 5 p.m) and $130 (6 p.m. to midnight); Fat Tuesday, Feb. 24, noon to 10 p.m. - $235. Open premium bar and buffet included (menus). For reservations, call 888-855-8438 (toll-free) or 504-586-1155. Or e-mail info@bourbonvieux.com.
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