By Karen Brem, Marketing Director, Historic Mardi Gras Inn
COMING SOON!!!
Hey y’all, Karen Brem here—chief confetti-thrower and Marketing Director for the newly bedazzled, LGBTQ-owned & operated Historic Mardi Gras Inn. We just wrapped a site-wide glow up that would make Miss Kerri Colby clutch her pearls, and I’m itching to spill the tea on PrideFest 2025 (June 12-15)—a rainbow-drenched weekend happening literally outside our front door in the Marigny. Pack your sequins, book a long weekend, and let’s dive into the deets.
Thursday, June 12 – Opening Reception Powered by Entergy
Kick-off night sets the tone on the rooftop of the New Orleans Healing Center, 2372 St. Claude Ave. (6-9 p.m.). Expect skyline views, an open bar, local LGBTQ vendors, and DJ Sammy Jo spinning tracks hotter than a Louisiana sidewalk in July. Ambassadors snag VIP perks, but anyone with a ticket can clink glasses under the sunset and start the party right.
Pro tip: We’re a two-minute streetcar shimmy away—slide from rooftop to comfy bed without killing the vibe (or your heels).
Friday Vibes – Mix – Mingle & Ghosts in Glitter
Friday’s unofficial agenda? Everything from queer art openings to “Walking with the Gay Ghosts of New Orleans” tours that mash up history with happy-hour bar stops. Keep your phone on IG-alert; pop-up drag and burlesque bingo at The AllWays Lounge usually happen faster than you can say “Werk!”
Saturday, June 14 – The Main Event(s)
- Community Fest (Noon–6 p.m., Armstrong Park)
Family-friendly fun, food trucks, and bounce houses—because nothing says Pride like watching Aunt Carol try a bounce-slide in platform Crocs. - NOLA Pride Parade (Line-up 5 p.m., rolls 6 p.m.)
The route struts from 1200 St. Philip through the French Quarter, then sashays back to Rampart & Dumaine. Grab beads, grab a hurricane, and grab your bestie’s hand—this loop is pure sparkle therapy. - PrideFest 2025 (5–10 p.m., Phoenix Bar, corner of Rampart & Elysian Fields)
What started as a block party outside Phoenix Bar now devours multiple blocks with vendors, cocktails, and a main stage headlined by RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Star Kerri Colby. Yes, mama, the wig line will be snatched. Nighttime hours mean cooler temps and hotter grooves—think drag, DJs, and enough glitter to keep local street sweepers employed till Mardi Gras.
Sunday, June 15 – Pool Party & Tea-Dance Cool-Down
Dry off your hangover at The Railyard NOLA, 710 Poland Ave. (Noon–5 p.m.)—just downriver in the Bywater. The PrideFest Pool Party & Tea Dance serves DJ Sammy Jo, cameos by Kerri Colby, and plenty of sunscreen for all that exposed mischief. Tickets start at $20; ambassadors sip from an open bar. Hydrate or die-drate, babes.
Why Crash with Us?
- One block from the French Quarter, smack-dab in the Marigny. PrideFest literally parades past our neighborhood; stumbling distance is measured in glitter fallout.
- Streetcar stop = two-minute walk. Roll from bar crawl to comfort without haggling for a rideshare surge.
- Clean, affordable rooms + warm, welcoming staff. No judgment, just vibes—whether you’re lip-syncing at Oz, sipping absinthe on Decatur, or raiding Beads-R-Us at 3 a.m.
- Fresh glow-up. New paint, new linens, same historic charm—because queers deserve luxe on a budget.
Reminder: we promise nothing except cleanliness, affordability, and a staff that treats you like chosen family. The rest? That’s between you, your feather boa, and whatever (consensual) shenanigans the Quarter throws your way.
Book the Whole Dang Weekend
PrideFest doesn’t clock out at 10 p.m.—it morphs into late-night jazz at Café Lafitte, karaoke at Bourbon Pub, and secret courtyard parties where you’ll meet people whose names you’ll forget but stories you’ll never. So snag that Friday-Monday PTO, smash that “Book Now” button on our site, and let Historic Mardi Gras Inn be your glitter-stained home base.
Because darling, if you’re gonna celebrate visibility, equality, and fabulousness, you might as well do it feet-from-the-parade, wallet-friendly, and wrapped in the glow of an LGBTQ-owned inn that just got a facelift fierce enough to rival a Real Housewife reunion.
See you under the rainbow lights—bring your sass, your sequins, and your best “Yaaaas!” We’ll have the key cards (and maybe a few emergency bobby pins) waiting.
For additional deets on staying with us just ring us directly at 504.949.5815 OR 1.800.209.9408. Sure, you can also visit us online at historicmardigrasinn.com.