Super Sunday - A Living Tradition in New Orleans
In New Orleans, some traditions can’t be explained—they have to be felt. Super Sunday is one of those days.
Every March, usually the third Sunday, the streets come alive around A.L. Davis Park as the Mardi Gras Indian tribes take to the neighborhoods in full regalia. This isn’t Mardi Gras in the typical sense. It’s something more intimate and deeply rooted—an expression of identity, history, and pride that’s been passed down for generations.
The Mardi Gras Indian tradition began in the 19th century, born from a bond between Black and Native communities, both of whom knew what it meant to resist, survive, and celebrate against the odds. Today, that legacy lives on in the form of hand-sewn suits—elaborate, heavy, and absolutely stunning. Every bead, feather, and stitch tells a story. You’ll see Big Chiefs, Spy Boys, and Flag Boys moving with intention and rhythm, each tribe weaving its own path through the crowd.
The parade is just part of it. Families line the streets. Kids dance. Brass bands echo down the block. Smoke rises from grills. The smell of gumbo and yakamein waft by as the second lines roll. Neighbors share a beer and a meal, coming together in a celebration of culture, of community, and of New Orleans itself.
Super Sunday isn’t just something you go to. It’s something you step into—an experience that pulls you closer to the soul of the city. Once you’ve seen it, you carry it with you.
