The 27th annual Lundi Gras Festival, hosted by the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club, will be held on February 24 in Woldenberg Park, along the New Orleans riverfront. Lundi Gras Festival was founded in 1933 by George Rainey of Zulu and Ms. Karen Noles of the Audubon Nature Institute. The celebration is held the Monday before Mardi Gras and features Zulu float characters as well as coincides with the arrival of King and Queen Zulu.
The one-day event attracts upward of 150,000 folks every year, including children. As a result, in 2001 the Club introduced a Zulu Children's Village that allows children to express themselves creatively through art, music, and drama. Not only does the Lundi Gras Festival keep the culture of New Orleans alive, but it also benefits the local economy. According to the University of New Orleans, the festival's economic impact was estimated to be 5 million dollars last year alone.
Lundi Gras Festival is a festive day full of food, music, and arts and crafts. The festival will feature headliners such as Rockin Doopsie, Big Al Carson, JazzMen Brass Band, and the Bayou Players in addition to a number of local entertainers. There will be over 20 food vendors, all cooking up cajun classics like crawfish and jambalaya. This event is free and open to the public.
