Mardi Gras: Sidewalk Side v. Neutral Ground

From the 2013 Knights of Babylon Parade

There are two sides of any parade but in New Orleans these sides are called Sidewalk Side and Neutral Ground and like most things in New Orleans, there's history.

Neutral Ground in other cities would most likely be called a median. The median on Canal Street was the center between two factions in the city in the mid-1800s -- the French Creoles who lived in the French Quarter and the Americans living in the 2nd district.  Neither group's army controlled the Canal Street median, so it was called Neutral Ground.

Now Neutral Ground and Sidewalk Side are helpful when you are trying to tell you friends where you will be standing for a parade -- or where someone will be who is riding a float.

Many New Orleans resident stick to one side or the other. You can even buy t-shirts labeled with your side.

This is pre-Mardi Gras parade Neutral Ground. 

Here's the parade schedule from February 6-12 for 2013. If you click on a krewe's name you can read more about their history.

Wednesday, February 6

• Krewe of Ancient Druids, Uptown, 6:30pm
• Krewe of Nyx, Uptown, 7:00pm

Thursday, February 7

• Knights of Babylon, Uptown, 5:45pm
• Krewe of Muses, Uptown, 6:30pm
• Knights of Chaos, Uptown, 6:30pm

Friday, February 8

• Krewe of Hermes, Uptown, 6:00pm
• Krewe d'Etat, Uptown, 6:30pm
• Krewe of Selene, Slidell, 6:30pm
• Krewe of Centurions, Metairie, 7:00pm
• Krewe of Morpheus, Uptown,7:00pm

Saturday, February 9

• Krewe of NOMTOC, Westbank, 10:45am
• Krewe of Iris, Uptown, 11:00am
• Krewe of Tucks, Uptown, Noon
• Krewe of Endymion, Mid-City, 4:00pm
• Krewe of Isis, Metairie, 6:30pm

Sunday, February 10

• Krewe of Okeanos, Uptown, 11:00am
• Krewe of Mid-City, Uptown, 11:45am
• Krewe of Thoth, Uptown, Noon
• Krewe of Tchefuncte, Madisonville, 2:00pm
• Krewe of Bacchus, Uptown, 5:00pm
• Krewe of Napoleon, Metairie, 5:30pm
• 
  

Monday, February 11

• Krewe of Proteus, Uptown, 5:15pm
• Krewe of Orpheus, Uptown, 6:00pm
• Krewe of Hera, Metairie, 6:30pm
• Krewe of Zeus, Metairie, 7:00pm

Tuesday, February 12

• Krewe of Zulu, Uptown, 8:00am
• Krewe of Rex, Uptown, 10:00am
• Krewe of Elks Orleans, Uptown Follows Rex
• Krewe of Crescent City, Uptown Follows Krewe of Elks Orleans
• Krewe of Argus, Metairie, 10:00am
• Krewe of Elks Jefferson, Metairie Follows Krewe of Argus
• Krewe of Jefferson, Metairie Follows Krewe of Elks Jefferson
• Krewe of Lyra, Covington, 10:00am
• Krewe of Grela, West Bank, 10:00am

more ladders set up in Neutral Ground

The back of the Stephen King float in Thoth 2013, sidewalk side on the right, Neutral Ground on the left.