Floats and marching bands rolled down 7th Street NW on Saturday as thousands lined D.C.’s Chinatown for a Mardi Gras parade that had been seven months in the making. The procession, organized by the Krewe of Pyros, finally hit the pavement after January’s snowstorm forced organizers to postpone the original winter date, and the summer heat did little to dampen the spirit of a crowd eager for beads, brass and a taste of New Orleans in the nation’s capital.
The parade kicked off at Chinatown Park near 6th and Eye Street NW at 10 a.m., moving along I Street and 7th Street NW down to G Street NW before wrapping up at Anthem Row, according to the DowntownDC Business Improvement District, which organized the post-parade Fiyah Festival featuring New Orleans DJ and producer Mannie Fresh. As reported by WTOP, floats and marching bands rolled down 7th Street NW while beads were tossed toward crowds lining the route. Temperatures climbed into the 90s with high humidity, but that only added to the authenticity for some attendees, including grand marshal Rep. Troy Carter, who told the crowd at the Krewe of Pyros Fiyah Festival at Anthem Row that the hot, humid D.C. weather felt like home.
Carter, who represents Louisiana’s 2nd Congressional District — which includes New Orleans — has served in the U.S. House since winning a special election runoff in April 2021 and now sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, according to Ballotpedia. He’s also cousin to J.C. Walker, the founder of the Krewe of Pyros, who moved to the District with his wife during Hurricane Katrina and later created the group after coworkers encouraged him to bring New Orleans culture to the D.C. area, per the same WTOP account. Walker said it was emotional to finally see the postponed parade roll, and that Mardi Gras, for him, is about connection and spreading love.
A Decade of Fiyah, From a Carnival Club to a Nonprofit
The August parade doubled as the centerpiece of the Krewe of Pyros’ 10th anniversary season, dubbed “10 Years of Fiyah,” marking a decade since the group formed to promote Louisiana culture through unity, charity and celebration, according to the Krewe of Pyros Foundation. The organization’s name draws from the Greek word for fire, aligning with its motto, “Illuminating the Path to Empowerment.” While the krewe began as a carnival club in 2016, its charitable foundation arm was formally incorporated as a nonprofit with the D.C. Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection on November 14, 2017…