Horse-drawn Calliope at Mardi Gras
By Randy Hayno
Hi all, I was at the Endymion parade in New Orleans this Mardi Gras, near the corner of Canal St. and Carrolton Ave. The weather was very cold but nevertheless the crowds were *enormous*. On both sides of the street people were fifty feet deep and packed like sardines. It was quite dark with only the street lights and an overcast sky. Everyone in the street was going crazy, and beads were flying from the huge floats which carry about 250 riders.
All of a sudden I heard the unmistakable sound of a calliope. The thought of a reproduction Tangley come to mind. I pushed my way through the crowd and couldn't believe my eyes. There was a team of horses! Behind it I could see an old circus wagon with a tall chimney in the rear, and black smoke was really shooting out of it. I was so impressed with that boiler that I didn't notice if it was being played by a person or by mechanical means. I was in *shock*.
It was a very fun night, but I didn't get too many beads, though, since there was a very attractive woman perched on her husbands shoulders, wearing a sweater that she lifted up each time a float went by. They had all the beads!
Did anyone else see that parade? Does anyone know about the circus wagon?
Randy Hayno
[ _Where_ were the beads, Randy??! :) -- Robbie
|
(Message sent Wed 26 Feb 1997, 02:52:12 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.) |
|
|
Mechanical
Music Digest™ Archives
