Gay Mardi Gras: Bourbon Street Awards

The Bourbon Street Awards is the French Quarter's gay costume contest, held on Mardi Gras Day since 1963. It began as a promotion by Arthur Jacobs, owner of the Clover Grill diner on Bourbon Street. The diner was on the gay stretch of the street, so most of the crowd and the contestants were gay. At the time, Mardi Gras was the one day of the year when people could cross-dress in public without trouble.

Contestants often spend months on their costumes. They cross a stage and are judged in categories including Best Drag, Best Group, Best Leather and Best Overall Costume. The contest kept its name when it moved in 2017 to a stage at the corner of St. Ann and Dauphine, one block off Bourbon. In 2020 the hosts were the Good Friends Bar and the Queens Head Pub. In past years it has started around noon. Watching is free, so arrive early to get a view.

The 2026 contest was held on Mardi Gras Day, 17 February. Mardi Gras 2027 falls on Tuesday 9 February, but the hosts and start time hadn't been announced when we checked.