In the aftermath of the New Year’s Day terrorist attack on Bourbon Street, the New Orleans carnival season remained stoic. Five days later, it began with the annual Joan of Arc parade.
The Joan of Arc parade rolled through the French Quarter on Jan. 6, followed shortly by a prayer service to remember the victims of the terrorist attack. The service was hosted by the Archdiocese of New Orleans at St. Louis Cathedral and attended by former President Joe Biden and former First Lady Jill Biden.
“The Joan of Arc parade organizers felt it was important to proceed with our parade despite the significant perceived and real obstacles of weather, schedule changes and security concerns,” founder and president of the Joan of Arc Project Amy Kirk Duvoisin said.
Duvoisin said that people reached out from across the city, country and world with hopes that the parade would continue.
“[They] felt our parade was a symbol of strength in the face of fear — this gave us confidence as well. In the end, we had people all along the route who came out to the parade, despite the bitter cold, to thank us for marching,” she said.
In a letter to the community, Duvoisin addressed this years’ Joan of Arc, stating, “Tonight, we celebrate the limitless potential of love, creativity, and community connection. Tonight, we walk in honor of the fallen and shine a light on their souls’ legacies. They were celebrating what they thought was a new beginning on New Year’s Eve. Let us continue to spread their love and light. Let us consider this night of the Epiphany and Joan’s birthday as a new start to the New Year. Our 2025 Maid of Honor’s first name is Life. With her leading us, we will restart the New Year together, with life, love, and peace.” Duvoisin said.
The Joan of Arc parade also featured the 2024 Maid from Orléans, France, Maïlys Boët and her other chaperones who traveled from France to march in the parade.
New Orleans Councilman Eugene Green Jr. for District D expressed confidence in the carnival season and other events within New Orleans despite the recent terrorist attack.
“We are at a heightened level of security,” he said. “We’re involving a comprehensive effort involving the federal, state and local government to make sure that the assets are in place to help keep us safe.”
On Mardi Gras day, many parades, including the historic Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club, are still set to roll.
Zulu King of 1995 David Belfield III expressed his confidence in the city’s resilience.
“My family was raised on Mardi Gras. My mother was a seamstress for Proteus for 57 years. So my family grew up with Mardi Gras in our blood,” he said. The Krewe of Proteus is over 120 years old, the second-oldest krewe in carnival history.
“Certainly I plan on participating in Mardi Gras. I’m not going to let terrorists or threats of terrorism curtail my living. That’s what they want us to do. They want us to live in fear, and I’m not living in fear,” Belfield said.
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