Barkus Parade

This is always a fun parade, if not a little slow moving. I have to agree with Bobby, there are always huge gaps in the parade where you feel like it’s over.
Honestly, for me the best part of Barkus isn’t really Barkus at all. I like going down to the Quarter on the day of and walking around and seeing all of the people out there with their dogs. On this day, everywhere in the Quarter is «dog friendly», people dress up their dogs and it’s a lot of fun to see.
I do always enjoy seeing the parade dogs in their various costumes– some are very extravagant.

This was my first year going to Barkus and it was an adventure! It’s always hard to get out to the Quarter in the mid-​afternoon that day, especially with all the parades going on. Barkus creates quite the commotion and the route goes through the heart of the Quarter. It was extremely busy and it can be hard to find a place to watch. If you go, I would recommend watching on one of the neighborhood streets– avoid Jackson Square! The route goes in a loop, so try not to get stuck inside or else you won’t be able to get out or cross over. Even though the route is short, there are often breakdowns and delays in the parade, potentially making it very long to watch– lots of long gaps and downtime. Be patient and enjoy watching the adorable pups around you! Most parade go-​ers bring their (well-​behaved) dogs and it is fun to see all the different breeds!

What happened to this parade? We went this weekend (taking M’lady-dog) and to say it was a jumbled mess would be a compliment. Several times, we thought it was just over because nothing was happening for 20 – 30 minutes at a time. What little was there was waaaay too political (Seriously you jerks, keep politics out of a frigging DOG parade).
In past years, it was much better organized, but this year it was just sad. It was the first time we have ever left Barkus before it was totally finished.
Or maybe it was finished. it was impossible to tell with how badly run it was.
I’m only giving it 3 stars because of how it was in the past.

Krewe of Barkus parade is one of the five parades in French Quarter. This is one of the shortest route parades that I have been. It starts near the Louis Armstrong Park and march down to the Jackson square. This is a parade with dog. The dog owner will dress them in different costume, accessory, dog hair paint. Some of the dogs are dress in the character of Star War. Somehow this town is a big fan for the Star War Movie. The parade has names it own King and Queen Dogs that lead the parade. Special beads are giving out when the Queen and King nominated dog pass by.
This a low profile parade compare to all other parade. What I mean low profile is you have to lower yourself by sitting at the sidewalk curb to watch the parade in the same elevation of the dog. Please come early so you can occupy a sidewalk curb. Some of the dog may approach you and you will have a chance to touch them or take a close up picture. This parade is not as good to watch in standing position.
Alone the parade, there are promotion for the dog adoption, dog food, dog manicure, dog costume, dog treat, dog toy… Some of the owner put a small dog and the baby and push along with the stroller, some of them carry their dog in the arm, movie set push cart. This is a fun parade with our four legs friend. Many children are in this parade. They give up candies and beads at the route. Some children run out from sidewalk curb to touch the dog when they see a cute one. This may be the only Mardi Gras Parade that is suitable for all ages.

Took a bit to get to Jackson Square, but it was a cute parade. 2015 theme was Star Wars so it was a medley of Yoda Dogs, storm troopers, and «Dobi-​wan-​Kenobis.» If you are looking for high end throws, this is not the parade for you. The throws I saw were dog bisquits, squeeky toys, & lower end beads. Have to exprience it at least once if you have or will go to more than one New Orleans’ Mardi Gras!

A friend of mine affectionately refers to this walking parade as «The Million Dog March».
Be prepared to see more dogs in tutus that you can even imagine. There are some of the cutest doggies dressed up, along with some great group costumes, dogs in decorated wagons, lots of puppy treats and huge crowds. It is such a successful fundraiser for animal rescue that it often goes on, and on, and on for nearly two hours.
This French Quarter parade is totally a family friendly event!
A great way to spend a Sunday afternoon in February if you ask me!

The 2013 parade was a bit slow moving — and not even from the dogs constantly sniffing around — but still fun as expected. The key is to start at Armstrong Park an hour before the parade for some food, drink, and/​or music while checking out all the great costumes and cool dogs. Then head over to the French Quarter and find your spot — we actually got lucky this year and had VIP wrist bands from a neighbor that gave us access to the judging balcony at Good Friends Bar. You couldn’t see too much from most of the balcony but Margaret Orr was the emcee just a few feet away and you got a great viewpoint of the streets packed absolutely full of people then could head down to street — I mean dog level — as the parade turned and made its way back up to Louis Armstrong Park.
What a great day, and a great parade. Check out the Mystic Krewe of Barkus every year for a great time in NOLA during Mardi Gras.

What’s better than hanging out with family and friends, having a few beers in gorgeous weather while attending a Mardi Gras parade? Simple add dogs.
The parade is a walking parade that starts and ends at Armstrong Park and ventures through the Quarter. It’s a short little walking parade that doesn’t throw many beads or trinkets (although I ended up with a pile of plastic shit and a rubber chicken. SCORE!) This parade isnt about that though, it’s all about the dogs and their cooky costumes. I saw everything from «Honey Doo-​Doo» to dogs wearing panties with dollars hanging out of them while riding in a wagon with a stripper pole.
There are tons of watering holes along the route to grab a beer or drink of choice. There are also tons of Animal Rescue orginazations that walk in the parade and encourage you to adopt their pups. Barkus may have even inspired me to finally adopt a pooch… that and my 2 daughters saying «please please please please dad… pleeeeeease can we keep it»

A fantastic afternoon with the best «people» on earth. Any day is better with a pup!
Kudos to the Unilocal!crew at the parade who did a wonderful job. The parade was definitely better because of you.

I am suspect of people who don’t like animals. I love dogs and cats equally; my grandfather (who could have given St. Francis of Assisi a run for his money) made sure to include in my upbringing a respect and love for all the 4-​legged creatures.
Barkus is a great event for those who love their pets. Especially those who are happy to shame them in public with over the top costumes. But, as every animal lover will tell you, they know when it’s showtime. I saw a Great Dane prancing like a Budweiser Clydesdale wearing his Mardi Gras bling. A tye-​dyed German Shepard all too happy to receive love taps from admirers.
Even if your puppy is too shy for large outings, catch this lovefest.

It was a ruff day (sorry!), I mean rough day. I woke up after a long night out and just 4 or 5 hours of sleep to an apartment that was freezing cold. Ok, listen up, it was 31 friggin’ degrees outside yesterday at 9am! When I went to bed at 4:30ish it was 29. So, the idea of being outside made me shudder to think about it. But I was determined to go see this parade of pups and not only because we were going to have a Unilocal table here with Bloody Marys, either (not to mention the idea of drinking more vodka made me sick to my stomach, but I’ll spare you the details).
We arrived to set up around 11am and Louis Armstrong park was bustling with dressed-to-the-(ca)nines and their proud companions milling about. We grabbed a good spot behind the police barricades on the neutral ground across from the park and settled in. The parade started on time and everyone was just so awesome in our area, between the humans and the cutest dogs ever. I had my fill of puppy eye candy and was in a good mood for entire duration of my time here. I don’t think I’ve ever cooed and cawed and eeeeeeee’d so much in a single day, just sayin’. I may be a proud cat lady, but if you don’t like dogs dressed up in costumes, then I can’t imagine wanting to know you. Think that sounds extreme? Look at the damn pictures that are posted.
Favorite floats were the CIA (Canine Intelligence Unit), as well as the so-​cute-​you wanna-​kill-​them crawfish pups in a big pot. Seriously. So cute they have to be illegal. Also, little Miss Smushface, our Unilocal mascot, was all dressed up like a vegas showgirl with a feather headpiece and all. Loved all the rescue groups marching in this parade with the dogs wearing their «adopt me» coats. Yes, I want to adopt them all. Yet again, I’m reminded of my aspirations to own a farm one day so that I can have as many dogs, cats and ducks (I talked to someone yesterday who told me about her pet ducks and now I want some) and maybe even peacocks and a serval or two.
While only my second parade to date, I think this is going to be my favorite. A good part of it had to do with the entire experience and the crowd I was surrounded by. How can anyone be rude or mean in the face of all these cute doggies, right? Also, there was the most polite child in the world standing near me who was handing out the beads he kept receiving to other people around him. This made me think that there’s hope for the future.

We managed to make Barkus and it was just as awesome as it has been for years. We had our dogs dressed up but they were just spectators, one was Dracula and the other wore LSU gear. We LOVE Barkus because not only does it get everyone out of the house to enjoy a day together, it’s fun to see the other dogs and all the cute creativity that other people put into this parade. One day I will get the dogs back into the parade on a float when we have more time. one day!
Just bead catches and lots of fun
History: New Orleans’ only Carnival parade for dogs, Barkus trots down the streets of the French Quarter two Sunday’s before Mardi Gras. Each year a new Queen is chosen, always a rescued or adopted female dog. Barkus is the pet equivalent of Bacchus and is also a designated non-​profit organization. Barkus’s Board of Directors donates proceeds from merchandise and the ball to animal welfare charities.

Oops — forgot to review Barkus!
We walked 10 – 15 blocks to get to the parade (note: parking in the Quarter is always crazy, ESPECIALLY during Mardi Gras), only for our kid to get fussy upon arrival. I figured she would love Barkus, since she loves dogs, but apparently not. Maybe she didn’t like the crowd.
We stuck it out for about 20 minutes, and the boyfriend and I definitely enjoyed the parade of dressed up dogs, their human guardians, and creatively decorated floats. It’s so adorable. I’m a cat person, but every year, I wish I had a dog so that I could participate in Barkus — or train one of my cats to behave like a dog in public.
I wish we could have stayed for the whole parade. However, the short 20 mins that we got to see was excellent, so it definitely deserves 4 stars.

What an adorable parade! I finally made it to Barkus this year, and although I didn’t see the whole thing, I saw enough of it to fall in love. People are SO creative, and the floats they make for their dogs are ridiculously awesome. There was one with a Boston Terrier dressed up as the plant from Little Shop of Horrors («Feed me, Seymour!») and another float with a teacup chihuahua in a hanging basket.
It’s definitely a well attended parade, so plan to contend with a crowd. The crowd is not just families, but also other dogs dressed in costumes. I was surprised at how well behaved all the dogs were. I’m occasionally mildly freaked out by large, unfamiliar dogs, and usually you’d expect there to be a lot more barking with that many dogs in one place. But it was remarkably quiet. Maybe when you dress dogs up like people, that makes them calmer or something. Unlikely, but that’s my theory and I’m going to assume it’s true until proven otherwise.

This parade makes my neck hurt. No, it’s not from getting whacked with beads or ladders. It’s from constantly having to move my head back and forth to get the maximum cuteness action.
Every pup in the city who is anybody shows up to flaunt their stuff in costume! Each year, the theme is adorable and funny. The owners push «floats» made out of grocery carts and wagons, all the while being decked out in fancy costumes!
You’ll laugh! You’ll cry! You might get fleas! Come check out Barkus!
Be warned though, these are dogs, not floats dragged by tractors, so sometimes the parade bunches up or has blocks of space between it.

My absolute favorite parade I saw at Mardi Gras. Kinda low scale and low budget, but who cares? Dogs dressed in all kinds of costumes with their enthusiastic owners! Soooo very cute. Lots of beads to be had. They go through the french quarter. There was a pig, goat and miniature pony this year too! Lots of dogs as Saint’s cheerleaders this year. Best costume was one that hada dog cart with a stuffed pony slaughtered and hanging with a menu of Colt burger and other stuff. Quite funny.

Barkus is a great time for a great cause. Who doesn’t like dogs in costumes?
That being said it’s really crowded in sections the dogs seem stressed and the spectators who bring dogs don’t practice enough leash control.

There are some things in the world that, just by existing, make me grateful to be alive. An all-​dog Mardi Gras parade is one of those things. I’m quoting here from the website of The Olde Town Inn, ’cause they said it so well.: «This is a parade of costumed canines and their human consorts that trots through the historic French Quarter. Krewe members toss beads and trinkets from grocery-​cart „floats“ to spectators, some of whom throw back dog biscuits. On the morning of the parade, hundreds of dogs assemble in Armstrong Park, the staging area, yet there are seldom barks, bites or fights.» So. Much. Fun!