New Orleans – It’s tough to tell when the party started or when it will end in New Orleans following the Saints’ victory in Super Bowl XLIV. A Super Bowl victory, an unforgettable homecoming, and now a parade helped cap off an unforgettable Saints season.
Thousands of fans were lined up by early afternoon along the route for the downtown parade to honor the Black and Gold. Less than 24 hours earlier, almost 20,000 fans swarmed around Atlantic Aviation in Kenner to watch the team return home from Miami.
Saints owner Tom Benson and Drew Brees were on the first floats to roll down Poydras Street when the parade got underway at 5 p.m. In all, the parade has 12 marching bands and floats from 10 krewes.
At a time when Mardi Gras is usually the party king, the crown has been handed over to the Saints following their 31-17 win Sunday night against the Indianapolis Colts.
Players, wearing team jerseys instead of traditional Carnival masks and costumes, tossed beads into the crowd and signed autographs for throngs of screaming fans. Benson shouted "Who Dat!" into a microphone from his perch atop a float. Head coach Sean Payton blew kisses and held the Lombardi Trophy over his head.
"Here's to the best Mardi Gras week in the history of this city," Coach Payton said, raising a glass of champagne during a toast outside Gallier Hall.
The floats stopped at a reviewing stand so elected officials, including Mayor Ray Nagin, Gov. Bobby Jindal and Sens. Mary Landrieu and David Vitter, could toast the team's win.
"This is wilder than Mardi Gras," Frank V. Smith told the Associated Press. Smith, a lifelong New Orleans resident, shot photographs of players from the rear of a pickup truck. "I've never seen so many people out here like this. This is beautiful, man."
Here’s the parade lineup:
NOPD Command Van
Kern Command Van
LSP Command Van
JPSO Command Van
New Orleans Police Horse Wedge
MetroScan Traffic
Air Effects - Air Star with Saints Logo
USMC Color Guard
USMC Reserve Forces Marching Band
NOFD Steam Engine
Storyville Stompers
NOFD Chief and Other Metro Fire Chiefs
St Augustine High School - Purple Knights
Budweiser Clydesdales
Brother Martin High School - Crusaders
Float 1 - Endymion Grand Marshall: Mr and Mrs Benson / Rita Benson
Skytracker #1
McDonogh 35 High School Band - RonEagles
Float 2 - Bacchus King Float: Drew Brees / Sean Payton
Skytracker #2
O.Perry Walker High School
Float 3 - Rex Jester Float
Warren Easton High School - Fighting Eagles
Float 4 - Zulu Warrior Float
George Washington Carver High School
Float 5 - Alla-Gator
Tulane University Band - Green Wave
Float 6 - Ceasar Officers Float
Jesuit High School - Blue Jays
Float 7 - Tucks Ship
St Mary Academy Band
Float 8 - Muses Shoe
Roots of Music
610 Stompers / Pussyfooters
Float 9 - Orpheus Smokey Mary
Edna Karr Jr High Band
Float 10 - United States Navy Band
Martin Luther King Middle School
Jefferson Parish Streetcar Float
Sophie Wright Middle School
Plaquemine Parish High Water Emergency Response Vehicle
New Orleans EMS Mobile Surgical Unit
