Feathers shimmer gold against indigo beadwork as Mardi Gras Indian chiefs parade through A.L. Davis Park, their hand-sewn suits representing months of midnight craftsmanship. Super Sunday transforms Uptown into a living gallery where African American heritage meets street-level artistry, proving New Orleans’ cultural calendar never sleeps—even weeks after Fat Tuesday fades.
This March 13-15 weekend anchors a week where high ceremony collides with pure entertainment, offering travelers authentic traditions alongside unexpected spectacles.
Beyond Beads: Authentic Traditions Take Center Stage
Super Sunday honors African American heritage through the artistry of Black Masking Indian tribes.
Super Sunday celebrates the third Sunday of March as sacred ground for Black Masking Indian tribes. The three-day buildup starts Friday night at Dew Drop Inn with Shamarr Allen and DJ BSharp igniting the weekend’s energy. Saturday brings Mohawk Hunters and Big Chief Juan Pardo to the intimate venue stage.
Sunday’s main event features the First Lady of Funky Soul and Jason Neville Funky Soul Allstar Band during a noon brunch that flows seamlessly into the park parade. Every Super Sunday event costs nothing, reflecting the community-driven spirit that built these traditions decades before tourism boards existed.
High and Low Culture Collide
The city layers sacred ceremonies with mainstream entertainment in ways only New Orleans manages.
The same weekend serving sacred Indian suit displays also delivers “Banana Ball” at the Caesars Superdome, where the Savannah Bananas transform baseball into vaudeville theater. These aren’t your grandfather’s games—expect dancing players, fan participation, and rule twists that compress nine innings into two hours of controlled chaos.
Cultural crosscurrents flow beyond weekend boundaries. The New Orleans Book Festival brings Anderson Cooper and Emeril Lagasse to Tulane’s campus for free discussions. Napoleon Dynamite’s original cast reunites at Mahalia Jackson Theater for cult film nostalgia.
St. Patrick’s Day parades multiply across three different routes:
- Irish Channel Saturday
- Metairie Road Sunday
- downtown Tuesday
Wednesday at the Square launches its spring concert series with Big Sam’s Funky Nation, proving Lafayette Square remains the city’s democratic music venue where office workers and tourists share the same grass.
Tennessee Williams’ “Small Craft Warnings” runs at Loyola’s Lower Depths Theater while blues rock echoes through Gasa Gasa and millennium tour nostalgia fills Smoothie King Center.
Planning requires strategic thinking since parade routes intersect and venues cluster in different neighborhoods. Start with free Super Sunday events Sunday afternoon, catch Wednesday at the Square’s 5 p.m. kickoff, then choose your weekend adventure—whether that means following Indian tribes through Uptown streets or watching dancing baseball players attempt home runs.
