Super Sunday

Julia Engel l Staff Reporter

This Sunday marks one of the most marvelous events of the annual Mardi Gras spectacle. One of New Orleans’ best kept secrets, Super Sunday is drenched in the deep-seeded history of African American New Orleanians. Mardi Gras Indian ‘tribes’ from traditionally black working-class neighborhoods have been sewing elaborate feathered and beaded costumes and choreographing tribal battle dances since as early as the 1880s. The masking and battle traditions of Super Sunday originally had an underlying violent subtext, the ceremonies being used to settle grudges between tribes. Since the 1960s, however, these acts of redemption and revenge have given way to an artistic art form — tribes spend the entire year preparing dances and costumes. Super Sunday is a public event revealing of a sociopolitical reaction to the racial polarization of the city’s neighborhoods and of NOLA’s rich black culture, now threatened by both police brutality and post-Katrina gentrification.

Closeby Outdoor Getaways

Grayson Jernigan l Contributing Reporter

Just across the causeway, next to the city of Mandeville, Louisiana, lies Fontainebleau State Park beach. Bordering Lake Pontchartrain, Fontainebleau might not be your typical “beach,” but it’s still a great way to spend some time in the sand and soak up some sun. While Fontainebleau is the perfect spot for a day trip, it also offers a variety of different camping and lodging options for a more complete weekend at the beach getaway. If you’re looking for something more unique to the State of Louisiana, the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve is an awesome option for history nerds and nature lovers alike. With six different sites located across the park, there is a little something for everyone. Explore the boardwalks and dirt trails of the Barataria Preserve, as they lead around the bayous, swamps and forest located in the 23,000-acre preserve, or visit the site of the War of 1812’s Battle of New Orleans.

T-Bois Blues Festival

Laura Rostad l Print Arcade Editor

Originally created as an annual family crawfish boil back in the 1980s, T-Bois Blues Festival will bring together bluegrass bands and fans for an intimate musical gathering. An extra pre-show will kick off the festivities Thursday through Saturday night. The seventh annual festival will take place at the 2000-acre family farm in Larose, Louisiana, an hour south of New Orleans. The lineup blends southern blues, funk and rock with acts such as Anders Osborne, Nigel Hall, Honey Island Swamp Band and Lost Bayou Ramblers. Cajun cooking, drinks and camping are all included in the general admission price; festival-goers will have no reason to leave this bluegrass haven.