After snow slowdown, New Orleans makes a mad dash to Super Bowl and Mardi Gras
The intrigue: Oh, and Chewbacchus, our first major parade this Carnival season, rolls on Saturday.
Fun fact: This year's Carnival, which began Jan. 6 and runs until Mardi Gras on March 4, lasts nearly 60 days.
That's so much more time to celebrate than last year's roughly six-week-long season.
Yes, but: The number of working hours got cut short because of the snow, and it was already especially nutty with the Super Bowl smack in the middle of all of the madness.
This year's parade schedule shifts slightly because city officials didn't want the NOPD to split focus between patrolling parade routes and Super Bowl crowds.
Zoom in: City leaders held Super Bowl prep briefings last week as the NFL continued loading gear into the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and the Caesars Superdome, officials said.
"There's probably going to be some pretty furious work as far as 24-hour days trying to get some things done because we want to make sure that we have our best foot forward for Super Bowl," NOLA Ready director Collin Arnold said last week. "But while this [snow] has been a distraction, I don't think it's anything that's been limiting at this point."
Security-focused meetings will pick up this week, too, Arnold said.
"'Snowmageddon' should only cause us to lose a couple of days," Super Bowl czar and GNO Inc. CEO Michael Hecht tells Axios New Orleans. "We are confident we can make these up in the coming days, assuming Mother Nature cooperates."
State of play: As for Mardi Gras, this year's revelry will have a few new rules on the route after City Council officials edited Carnival laws during the offseason.
We also expect to see new security measures in place because of the New Year's Day terror attack.
Meanwhile, notably absent will be the Krewe of Nyx, which got the axe from the city's official Mardi Gras calendar last summer. (Go deeper)
The Krewe of Alla will now parade in Nyx's place on the Wednesday before Mardi Gras.
Here's a quick look at some of the new rules for 2025:
Banned: Tents, tarps, sofas, scaffolding, charcoal barbecue pits, portable toilets of any kind, ladders that have been strapped together.
Confetti cannons are out, and so are beads with any non-krewe-related symbols.
Krewe members can't throw toilet paper anymore. (Tucks is exempt from this one.)
School and nonprofit bands must have at least 30 participants.
Go deeper for more rules impacting krewes.
What's next:
Les Fous du Carnaval rolls Friday at 8pm in the French Quarter. (Route)
Chewbacchus rolls Saturday at 7pm in the Marigny. (Route)
Go deeper
NOPD hires former New York police commissioner as a terrorism expert.
New Orleans strengthens counterterrorism efforts for Mardi Gras and Super Bowl LIX.
New Orleans Super Bowl prep is down to punch list items.
Mardi Gras 2025 parade schedule.
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Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Meet the 9 different personalities of a fantasy football draft — which one are you?
Whether it's your first time or your 100th time playing fantasy football, a cast of characters takes shape in every league, and in no better venue is this cast revealed than during a draft. And it helps to know these archetypes ahead of your time on the clock, so you know what to expect. Consider this your crash course. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] The following personalities are never at their truest selves more than during drafts, and we here at Yahoo Fantasy have taken years of extremely serious, completely factual research to highlight each of them in detail for you. Not sure which personality your league-mates fit into? Not sure which YOU are? Don't worry — we've got you covered. You might even discover you take on a combination of these personalities during a draft. Without further ado, behold: the key personalities in every fantasy league. THE EXPERT The Expert is the most common of the personalities you will find at a fantasy football draft. A veteran of multiple leagues, The Expert is well-versed in statistics, player performance/trends/histories, as well as various fantasy formats. One would be forgiven for thinking The Expert is an actual fantasy analyst. The problem, of course, is that The Expert's tireless thirst for knowledge hasn't exactly translated into fantasy championship success — a fact his/her league mates constantly remind him/her of. Year after year, The Expert drafts a balanced, contending team, he/she makes great pickups off the waiver wire and makes informed start/sit decisions ... only to lose by the slimmest of margins in the playoffs — or miss them entirely, due to some freakish, unexpected, miraculous occurrence. But hey, keep your head up, Expert — maybe this is your year. "I don't need a cheat sheet — it's all up here *taps head*." "This year I'm going full Zero RB." "I was early on him." THE OLD HEAD Don't let the name fool you — The Old Head doesn't mean that this person is of advanced age. They do prefer the old-school ways of doing things, however. The Old Head might arrive at the draft party armed with a pen and pad or a crumbled-up piece of looseleaf with a bunch of barely legible pencil markings. The Old Head might make (more than one) mention of how they used to do things "back in their day." He/She might name-drop random, obscure players from yesteryear. With that said, he/she might come off as out-of-touch and maybe a tad arrogant, but please understand: The Old Head has played in COUNTLESS fantasy leagues. They know their stuff, even if their tactics might come off as outdated. "Y'all wasn't there." "Do your own research." "Nah, I don't need the WiFi." THE ROOKIE No fantasy draft would be complete without The Rookie. This individual might be completely new to fantasy football or maybe just has a season or two under their belt. They might be a big football fan, or maybe they just want to join their friends in a fun game. Whatever the reason, The Rookie is still getting used to the ins and outs of fantasy. So don't be so quick to judge when they select Lamar Jackson first overall in a non-Superflex, one-QB league. "Damn, do you always have to wait so long for your next pick?" "I need to do more research on defense and kicker." "Do you think Saquon Barkley will be there at pick 9?" THE SOCIAL MEDIA 'INFLUENCER' A relatively new personality compared to some of the staples on this list, The Social Media "Influencer" (also known as The TikToker) is armed with a phone and a lot of ideas. (Note: "Influencer" is in quotes, as this person can actually be a professional influencer, an aspiring one or ... just someone who's really, really active on social media.) You have to be on your toes around The Social Media "Influencer," as the speed at which they might capture a moment in the draft or in-season and post it on their profiles is remarkable. They'll get footage of the first reach of the draft, they'll create posts of their victories and their bad beats and don't even get me started on the campaign they'll unleash if they win the entire thing. "Wait, don't start the clock yet, let me take a pic of the draft board." "Ooohhh, you're about to go viral." "#ChipSZN" THE PARTY ANIMAL The second-most common personality at a fantasy football draft, The Party Animal is exactly what he/she sounds like: a party animal. The main caveat is that The Party Animal ALWAYS wants to have a live draft, and they ALWAYS suggest a bar or their own backyard. The Party Animal might bring friends to the draft who aren't even in the league. He/She might ask everyone what they're drinking right before the draft starts. He/She might suggest music be played in the background. The Party Animal might unleash cheers or jeers after every pick is made, and will only get louder as the draft moves along. This might all sound like negative qualities, but The Party Animal is an integral part of a fantasy football league. They keep things light and are a living, breathing reminder that this is a game about a game, and you should have fun playing it. Unfortunately, after all those beverages and hilarious outbursts, you can imagine how their team looks when it's all said and done. "Why aren't you drinking?" "Whoever makes the first reach has to take a shot!" "WHOOOO!!!' followed closely by 'LET'S GOOOOO!!!" THE TROLL Every fantasy football league has one — even if he/she hasn't presented him/herself yet. The Troll, like The Party Animal, is an avid fantasy gamer, but eventually, they get taken over by their incessant need for a little chaos — for their own entertainment, of course. The Troll might have a permanent smirk on his/her face on draft day. They might proclaim themselves the winners of the draft before it's even started. He/She might make a snarky remark after certain picks are made, and will not hesitate to call out picks that he/she deems incorrect. The Troll might start drafting the backup RBs others were eyeing to pair with the star they had already taken — just because they're there. If a quarterback is selected before him/her, The Troll might then draft that quarterback's favorite target. You can't help but laugh, though — The Troll is blessed with an excellent sense of humor. In the spirit of competitiveness, The Troll often has multiple rivals in the league, and hey, what's fantasy football without a little trash talk? "Are you winning this week?" "Some of y'all need to reevaluate your fantasy careers." "I don't even know why you guys are still drafting — do you see my team?!" THE HULK If you're familiar with Marvel comics or movies, then you'll know that the key to the Hulk's powers is his anger. The angrier he gets, the stronger he gets. And many fantasy leagues feature their own version of the Hulk too, a player who gets irrationally furious at ... well, everything. Whether that's getting pissed over a player who got sniped in the draft or losing it over a last-minute commissioner decision, The Hulk does indeed have some trouble keeping their emotions in check. Now, if they could only channel those emotions into fantasy wins like their comic-book counterpart ... "Bro, are you kidding me!?" "Hurry up!" "ARGHHHHH!!!" THE HOMER They can't help it, really. Even when they try to smother their fanhood, it finds a way out at some point, every single time. Yes, The Homer has an egregious, obvious weakness: they can't help but draft a player (or two) from their real-life favorite NFL team. Yes, they are also likely a Bears/Packers/Cowboys fan, too. The Homer likely arrives at the draft decked out in their team's gear, and their subconscious goal is to create a QB/WR stack from that team. But while it is somewhat of a weakness, The Homer does something (whether inadvertently or not) that few other personalities do: they create a deep, personal stake in their fantasy team that makes the game exponentially more fun than it already is. "Patrick Mahomes, who? Give me Caleb Williams!" "YES! LET'S GO, GOT MY STACK!" "I don't care if I already have five RBs, I watch this guy all the time, he's going off.' THE LEGEND Mysterious. Enigma. We come to him/her at last: The Legend. It seems like every fantasy league has one. The Legend barely speaks during the season — unless spoken to, that is. He/She barely makes an appearance in person — he/she might just FaceTime or Skype their picks during the draft. But if they do make it to the draft party, however, don't be surprised when their random eighth-round pick causes audible 'Oooh's and 'Ahhh's throughout the room. No one knows much about The Legend — some in the league may even doubt his/her existence, but make no mistake: The Legend exists, and he/she is a dominant fantasy gamer with plenty of trophies under their belt. You won't hear them talk about those wins, though. You might not even hear The Legend at all — until it's too late. "I mean, if you guys are just going to leave him there for me to draft ..." "Haha, nah." " **Silence** "
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
The unexpected anxiety of fall festival season
It's almost here…can you feel it? You know it's coming. For some of you, it might already be here. Or maybe, wherever it is you live, perhaps it's already passed. If so, congratulations. Here in Florida, though, it's just about to start. Fall festival season. Also known as the time of year when my anxiety about disappointing carnival workers and going broke buying 25-cent stuffed animals for five dollars really starts to ramp up. Can you feel that hint of autumn freshness in the air? I can't. Partly because it's still 90 degrees here most days, and partly because I'm worried about happening upon a carnival I didn't know about when the kids are with me in the car. This happened last year. I make a point of keeping a mental map of where the festivals are in our area and a rough calendar of when they arrive and depart. That way, I can avoid driving past any of those locations during carnival dates. Last year, though, I failed. One afternoon, we were driving to the park, just minding our own business, when suddenly an involuntary groan emanated from the very core of my beleaguered soul and escaped out of my mouth. I had seen it first. The hint of a Ferris wheel just beyond the stand of trees on the right. I rested my elbow on the steering wheel so that the palm of my hand could support the weight of my stupid head that had clearly not been doing its most important job. About five seconds later, the shrieking from the backseat began. Needless to say, we didn't make it to the park that day. Rather, we pulled into the large empty field that seems to hold no purpose other than hosting this small carnival each fall. There is a rutted dirt path that picks up where the asphalt from the street leaves off that is guarded by a swinging metal gate you might see on a cattle pen. There is no fence anywhere, just the lonely gate and a sagging oak tree standing watch. Because it was around 3:30 on a Thursday afternoon, there were no more than five cars scattered about the field of matted grass. 'Well, at least it's not too crowded,' I thought, stupidly. The fair was set up like an alley with rides on both sides and game booths down the middle. There was only one way in and out. Better than The Hotel California, but only slightly. Once we bought our ride tickets (like 20 for $30 or something similarly ridiculous), we were trapped. At each game booth and little kids' ride, we were besieged by bored carnival workers. 'Hey, Dad! Fishing game right here,' they said. 'I'll let them keep playing until they win.' That sounded good until you realized winning meant that, in return for five dollars each, they got to pull plastic fish out of the water with toy fishing rods, which took about fifteen seconds, so that they could receive a genuine stuffed animal (retail price: approximately fifty cents). 'Umm, maybe on our way out,' I stammered with my most awkward smile plastered on my face. 'Ok. I'll be here!' Crap. He was right. He would be there. And I couldn't count on the crowd of seven total fairgoers to help me blend in. This was turning into my worst nightmare. As we made our way along the festival alleyway, I was accosted by literally every game attendant. I didn't have much cash on me, but I seriously considered finding an ATM so as not to disappoint any of them. Sure, finances are tight with three kids, but when the choice is stick to a budget or personally disappoint people, I'm genetically predisposed to spending with reckless abandon. 'Maybe next time,' I tried to say at a few of the games. 'OK. We'll be here,' they replied. Crap. They were really good at this. To simplify matters, I emptied the contents of my wallet onto the ground and started tossing dollar bills, five-dollar gift cards, Dunkin Donuts game pieces, and a membership card to the science center in the direction of every festival worker I could find. Eventually, I hit upon an alternative strategy. The ride attendants were typically less aggressive than the game attendants, so I instructed the boys to walk with me as close to the rides as possible. When the attendant at the ring toss turned her back, we darted past, hugging close to the haunted house. This strategy worked very poorly. Primarily because my kids are terrible at subterfuge, they zig-zagged back and forth, admiring the cheaply-made plush monkeys hanging from a string in front of the water gun shooting booth. 'Want to give it a shot, Dad? See what kind of aim you have?' the attendant asked. 'HAHAHA,' I responded for some reason as I herded the kids back toward the festival entrance/exit. We stopped on the way out to ride the little train thing that just slowly drives around an oval for about one minute. The boys loved it more than I've ever loved anything. We rode it twice, which pretty much exhausted all our ride tickets. Thirty dollars well spent. All that was left to do was escape to the car, which was easier said than done because we had to pass by the fishing guy. And yes, he was there as promised. Short story shorter, the boys fished out plastic fish from a kiddie pool, which pleased them inordinately. As promised, they received their prizes: miniature stuffed sharks. They loved the sharks so much they carried them around for a couple of days and then deposited them in our heap of stuffed animals that lives either on the shelf in the playroom or on the floor. It took a bit of cajoling and promises to return soon to get them to the car, but we finally made it. As we drove away, I took a few deep breaths to calm my raging anxiety and promised myself never again. But now that I'm writing this and thinking about the boys' exuberant faces, I can already feel myself caving. I'm sure it will be fine. I mean, what could go wrong? Remember how I laughed for some reason when the water gun game guy talked to me, and then we ran away? It can't get much worse than that, and I survived! Sure, I think about it most nights when I'm lying in bed, but, really, I'm totally cool with it now. And this time, I'll be better prepared. When the game attendants start hassling me by asking politely if I'd like to play their game, I will confidently say, 'No, thank you. Not this time…maybe next time around. We'll be back in five minutes…I'm out of money. What is a game? Where is the bathroom? Look up! Is that an asteroid coming our way?' That should do it. Solve the daily Crossword
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Black America Web
44 minutes ago
- Black America Web
Blazing Black Joy & Fantastically Feathered Beauties: Stunning Scenes Fom D Road At St. Lucia Carnival 2025 [Exclusive]
St. Lucia Carnival is quickly turning into one of the most anticipated events of the summer season, and if you're lucky enough to attend and gaze upon the culture, festivities, and feathered beauties in attendance like Chloe Bailey, it's easy to see why. Masqueraders from Xuvo's award-winning Angele section line up to cross the stage for judging/ Source: Alexander Mayo / @alxmyo Let's start with the location: The island's landscape boasts hills and mountains at every angle. Look anywhere, and you've got a beautiful view. St. Lucia's local music, Dennery Segment , which powers its festivities, is a pulsating mix of several Caribbean genres — like soca, zouk, and dancehall — born from the island's Dennery district. Then there's Bouyon, an equally infectious, upbeat, and raunchy genre from nearby Dominica, which finds its way into every DJ set during the carnival season. Another draw? The costumes. St. Lucia's mas bands (or masquerade bands, which participate in the big parade every carnival) are exquisite, created by some of the Caribbean's most talented and sought-after designers. For many masqueraders, the look of the costume is at the top of the list when it comes to choosing a mas band to play with, and the island does not disappoint in that category. A masquerader wearing an elaborate, wheeled costume crosses paths with a party band on the road. These costumes are a staple of Caribbean carnival and reflect the region's storied tradition/ Source: Alexander Mayo / @alxmyo Carnival in St. Lucia is a month-long affair with local competitions like the National Carnival Queen Pageant, Calypso Monarch, and more. Sprinkled throughout are several parties, called fetes, which intensify leading up to the week of the big Parade of the Bands on Carnival Monday and Tuesday, taking place in Castries, the island's capital. That's when you see the hallmark sparkling, beaded, feathered costumes that Caribbean carnivals are known for. It's a major production that takes almost a year to put together, as each carnival band meticulously establishes an overall theme, taps designers, and orders materials to produce each made-to-order piece for masqueraders (parade participants) to pick up once they arrive on he island, days before taking to the streets. A masquerader with Just 4 Fun Carnival repping Grenada dances behind the music truck on the road, the picture of black joy and freedom/ Source: Alexander Mayo / @alxmyo 'The biggest challenge is ensuring I have all the literal hands on deck needed to transform the pieces of material we receive to the completed designs masqueraders are expecting,' says David Dewer , an international carnival costume designer from Trinidad and Tobago. He's the mind behind Xuvo mas band's Saia section. 'For the industry as a whole, it's no secret that the material and the bulk of production is outsourced to China, so that makes you susceptible to challenges beyond our control — weather, pricing, shipping delays. We try to place final orders with enough time to allow for production, shipping, delays, clearing, quality checks, and distribution.' We care about your data. See our privacy policy. You only wear your costume for a single day, but packages to be able to play mas — aka be in the parade — don't come cheap. They can start anywhere from $600 and go up to $2,000, depending on how extravagant your look is and if there are any special add-ons your package includes. Source: Angele masqueraders confer for a moment on the road/ Alexander Mayo / @alxmyo 'People often don't realize just how detailed the process is. We're talking gem counts, feather counts, size vetting, precise placements, every costume element is carefully considered,' Maier Sifflet, Xuvo's creative director, explains. 'And beyond the glam, there's deep cultural research involved in shaping our portrayals. We're telling stories that honor Saint Lucia's spirit.' And costume designers, who are often charged with creating sections on multiple islands, are tasked with having a keen awareness of the culture on each island. Contrary to popular belief, the Caribbean islands are not a monolith, and each has a unique culture that should be honored and celebrated accordingly. Source: A masquerader takes a quick rest from walking during St. Lucia's annual Parade of the Bands/ Alexander Mayo / @alxmyo That fact doesn't have to stifle the designers' creativity, though. 'Each island has its own cultural norms, style, and popular color palettes,' Kwasi McDonald explains. He's the mind behind Xuvo's Angele section, which tied for first place at St. Lucia Carnival for Section of the Year . 'However, sometimes I like to risk going against the norms and see if it takes hold. Trust me, the growth of the 'skimpy' bikini didn't happen overnight.' Part of pushing the norms includes keeping things fresh, not only in terms of the color palette, but also when it comes to design techniques. 'There is so much new technology and elements out there that I always try to include in my designs,' McDonald explains. 'Using Lazer cutting, 3D bras, [and sourcing] fabrics apart from Spandex. As a designer, the world is my oyster, and my clients trust in me to always bring fresh ideas to the industry.' When it all comes together, the result is nothing short of magical. The beads, the glitter, the feathers, the bamcee (booties). All of it culminates in a beautiful display celebrating culture, art, freedom, and black joy. For Sifflet, the process of putting together a carnival band is all about 'freedom [and] pure energy on the road. It's the climax, the release, the reminder of why we do this.' It makes the months of work more than worth it. A Xuvo masquerader adorned her 'fro with rhinestones for the second day of the Parade of the Bands, where revelers wear more toned-down fare in comparison to the full regalia of St. Lucia's Carnival Monday/ Source: Alexander Mayo / @alxmyo And that's especially true when you get your flowers for the work you've done. Xuvo had a banner carnival year, taking home second place for Band of the Year , Spirit of Carnival , Best Designed Band , winning first place for Mas on the Move , and tying for first place for Section of the Year with their Angele section and Best Portrayal of the Theme . If there was ever a testament to hard work paying of, we'd say this is it. A closer look at a piece of the costume from Xuvo's award-winning Angele section. This bedazzled mask was at the top of a long staff carried by masqueraders in that section/ Source: Alexander Mayo / @alxmyo The post Blazing Black Joy & Fantastically Feathered Beauties: Stunning Scenes Fom D Road At St. Lucia Carnival 2025 [Exclusive] appeared first on Bossip. SEE ALSO Blazing Black Joy & Fantastically Feathered Beauties: Stunning Scenes Fom D Road At St. Lucia Carnival 2025 [Exclusive] was originally published on
