Louisiana Irish-Italian Parade on Veterans Boulevard

On the muggy Sunday afternoon of March 22, the Louisiana Irish-Italian Parade rolled down Veterans Boulevard. Many of these pictures will look like a Mardi Gras parade, but there are some differences. The parade is a local celebration of both St. Patrick's Day and St. Joseph's Day. This year the parade took place after the two holidays.

Marches with flowers replace the marching bands in the parade. The marchers, men and women, give out flowers in exchange for a hug and/or kiss. They march with a stick adorned with the flowers. Another tradition, associated with St. Patrick’s Day, involves riders throwing cabbages, carrots and potatoes. Parade-goers need to watch for these thrown objects.