Southern Decadence

Southern Decadence is a large annual LGBTQ+ celebration in New Orleans, held every Labor Day weekend. It began in 1972 as a small going-away costume party among friends in the Marigny neighborhood and grew over the decades into one of the biggest queer events in the United States, drawing large crowds and significant tourism revenue to the city. The festivities center on the French Quarter, especially the corner of Bourbon and St. Ann Streets, and are anchored by a Sunday walking parade led by that year's Grand Marshals. Because of its scale, costumes, and street party atmosphere, it is widely nicknamed the "Gay Mardi Gras." The event has run for more than fifty years.