Saturday, November 20, 2010

Joan: Calendar Girl!


We are honored, flattered and totally psyched! to have been selected as the January feature for the comprehensive and cool totally homegrown LOUISIANA FESTIVALS AND EVENTS CALENDAR published by Tatooed Lady Publishing of New Orleans.
Do you have YOUR copy yet? It's a great way to stay abreast of all parades, festivals, and events throughout the state: from our comrades the Phunny Phorty Phellows, who walk Uptown on Twelfth Night, to the Hot Air Balloon Championships in Baton Rouge in August...from the Alligator Festival in Luling in September to the Renaissance Fair in Hammond in November...etc!! It's no wonder my friend Rachel is trying to get the state coined "The Festival State".
Four photographs of the Joan of Arc Parade 2010 taken by Kim Welsh were selected by this year's editor Lydia Benson for the January 2011 page. Two of them feature Fred Klotz, aka "The Bastard of Orleans" who with his wife Caye Mitchell, our official and original Joan of Arc, leads our parade each year clad in armor--much of it hand-designed by him!
Our parade would not be what it is without the leadership of Caye and Fred. Thanks to you both for being our steadfast warriors!!
I'm so glad that the Bastard is pictured in this promotion for the krewe not only because he is AWESOME but because it shows that ah-hem! Dudes! We welcome you and encourage you to walk with us!
(I repeat: This is not, never has been, never will be a female only krewe!! Contrary to the assumption that it is so! Joan fought for, with, and among men! And, er, ah-hem! was put to death by them! So we gotta have men in our krewe to represent! Come as knights, monks, peasants, priests, Saints...there are many relevant medieval characters to choose from! Have I made it clear we want you, need you and love you boyz???)
Others pictured in this colorful January calendar spread include the ravishing Blair Davis, our first annual Maid of Honor ("student" Joan of Arc) selected for our 2010 parade. Next to her is her page, Ty, whom she selected to hand our her 16 hand-decorated wooden swords. In the lower right hand corner is parade founder (yours truly) Amy Kirk Duvoisin, sans the heretic hat!
Thanks to Lydia and the Tatooed Lady for giving us this extraordinary exposure and reminding people throughout the first month of the year that we are the first parade of the season!
Go out and get your copy at the 15 current retail locations in the NOLA area carrying them. For the listing of stores and more information visit www.louisiana-festivals.com.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

DEADLINE FOR MEMBERSHIP and MAID OF HONOR CONTEST DECEMBER 1ST

We have received several emails the past two weeks from individuals asking if it's too late to join!

Absolument pas!!!

I neglected to post on the blog and website but had posted on Facebook and in a recent press release that the deadline for both the student MAID OF HONOR contest and the membership deadline have been extended from November 1st to December 1st.

I should have learned from last year...the same people so caught up in both the beginning of the school year AND Halloween are often interested in Joan of Arc so November 1st (All Saints Day--I just can't resist wanting to use that date for something!) has been too soon both years...from now on I'll surrender to a December 1st deadline!

Because we walk on Twelfth Night (January 6th), Joan's birthday AND the first day of the Mardi Gras season, getting people on board earlier than Christmas time is a challenge--especially considering the 2011 Mardi Gras is March 8th!
Thanks to everyone who has already sent in dues and to those asking to join!
For new members and student contestants, please email stjoankrewe@yahoo.com for an application. There is additional information about the Maid of Honor contest and member levels in this blog and on our website http://www.joanofarcparade.com/.


If you are returning from last year simply mail membership (review new levels) to our p.o. box.


JOAN OF ARC PROJECT

PO BOX 56815

NEW ORLEANS LA 70156

Sunday, November 7, 2010

St. Joan Parade featured in LOUISIANA FOLKLORE MISCELLANY


The Louisiana Folklore Miscellany, the annual publication of the Louisiana Folklore Society, has published an article by Frank de Caro, with photographs by Rosan Jordan, including a full color back cover, on the 2010 St. Joan of Arc Parade and Project (as well as on the activities of another organization which began around the same time as the St. Joan Project, the Red Beans Social Aid and Pleasure Club).

The article is "Emerging New Orleans Mardi Gras Traditions: The St. Joan of Arc Parade and the Red Beans Krewe, 2010" and it appears in volume 20 (2010) of the Louisiana Folklore Miscellany and includes much background information as well as discussion of the parade.

The article will probably be available (without the photos) on-line within a year through the Web site of the Louisiana Folklife Program (www.louisianafolklife.org), and copies of the publication can be ordered ($15.00 by check or money order made out to Louisiana Folklore Society, shipping and handling included; a limited number are available) from Carolyn Ware, Louisiana Folklore Miscellany, Department of English, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803.