Southern Decadence

Southern Decadance is a week-long, predominantly gay-male event held in New Orleans, Louisiana and its environs by the gay and lesbian community in early September, climaxing with a parade through the French Quarter on the Sunday before Labor Day.

Related Topics:
New Orleans, Louisiana - Gay and lesbian - French Quarter - Labor Day

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Most events take place in or around the French Quarter neighborhood of New Orleans, centering especially on the intersection of Bourbon and St. Anne streets.

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Crowds range from 100,000 to 300,000 revelers from across the United States. In 2004 there were over 100,000 participants and the economic impact on the City of New Orleans was estimated at over $95 million. It is the last national circuit party of the season. Other circuit parties take place in Palm Springs, California, Miami, Florida, and on Fire Island.

Related Topics:
United States - New Orleans - Circuit party - Palm Springs, California - Miami, Florida - Fire Island

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Decadence, as it is known by participants, is marked by widespread public nudity, parades, bead tossing and street parties. The festival is highly sexual in nature, with overt advertising insinuating (though rarely outright stating) that public sex will be common and liquor flowing heavily. It is aptly known as gay Mardi Gras for its similarity to Carnival week earlier in the year.

Related Topics:
Sex - Mardi Gras

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Decadence crowds typically match or exceed Mardi Gras crowds, leading some residents of the French Quarter to leave the city over Labor Day weekend, like some do for Mardi Gras itself.

Related Topics:
French Quarter - Labor Day

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In the past several years religious and conservative groups have rallied against the festival. In 2003 there was a formal petition filed to have the event terminated, with video footage handed over to officials depicting hundreds of men engaged in public sex acts. However there was an extremely vocal response from business owners and hoteliers in New Orleans in support of the festival which is the biggest money maker for them after Mardi Gras. As some of them put it: it brings almost all of the money of Mardi Gras with far less destruction and litter. Ultimately the police made a show of posting notices clarifying public sex was forbidden, but very little actual enforcement ensued.

Related Topics:
2003 - Mardi Gras

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A History of Southern Decadence indicates that the festival started in 1972 as a costume party to honor the departure of one of a group of friends in New Orleans. It is named after the first theme--a tribute to decadent southern ladies, such as Blanche DuBois from the Tennessee Williams play A Streetcar Named Desire.

Related Topics:
Blanche DuBois - Tennessee Williams - A Streetcar Named Desire

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