Busking at Mardi Gras

[GianDeau]

A friend just came back from Mardi Gras and said there were a huge number of street performers around the Bourbon St. area. He said that to the best of his knowledge, performance permits were not required.


Anyone have solid information on the regs, conditions, pitches, etc. @ Mardi Gras?

~Stephon

Thanks

[This message has been edited by GianDeau (edited 03-02-2001).]

[larry]

there are no permits required, NO FIRE, though I got away with it a couple of times and I saw others too. but that is the rule. during normal conditions, you must be off the streets by eight o'clock. the hats are really hard, although, I did well during the festival

[scot]

The main pitch is Jackson square either in front of the church or across the street at the amphitheatre. There are certain time limits because of mass and stuff. You're supposed to be quiet all the time. No fire is aloud (I hung out with fire eater Little John there and we didn't have a problem for 2 months). Prepare to be shot at least twice. It's a good place to meet the women. Maybe it's the heat. There's another pitch down bourbon toward canal. I think you've gotta be bad to the bone to get that spot. It livens up after dark. I saw a band and a bucket drummer playing there. It's on a less popular corner but everyone passes by it and, if you're good I think something would happen.
scot

[worldwidese]

Painters and Vendors need permits, but they don't give permits to Buskers and Readers.
This is because there are many local bands, dancers and statues who can't afford a permit, It's also so they can chase you out of town if there is a crackdown. (At frequent intervals the Merchants and the local residents get antsy and complain to the Vieux Carre Commission.)If you don't leave town you can be arrested. This doesn't happen often.

In Jackson Square you have to be quiet, or the folks from the Cathedral complain. They close Royal Street to vehicles in the daytime, and you can busk there if you don't do a circle show. So it's OK for musicians or something small where the passers-by just drop something in the hat as they shop.

Hats are small, and tend to include stuff like pennies. Seems they haven't heard this is no longer the 1950's! Kelly.




[This message has been edited by worldwidese (edited 03-03-2001).]

[Irina]

A couple of warnings. There is always a 'pre-Mardi Gras sweep" - before the carnival or first couple of days cops lock up everybody they don't like on ridiculous charges. Later they will have no time to deal with us, so they always do it in advance...Make sure you have friends in the city to call or 200-300$ for a fine in you pocket, otherwise you are stuck in jail for the whole carnival. NOLA police is really wierd, basicly they look at: appearance (do you look like trouble?), seniority (if they know you - they would not touch you), age and gender (I never heard of a woman or young lad being busted)... And don't even think talking civil rights, that's NOLA, not Boston or NY...There are rules like - no Bourbon street after 8pm, but they can just ask you to leave - or take you straight to jail without warning...A couple of my face-painters ended up in jail and I had to go there and get them out, no fun, you always have to pay the fine, it's one of the ways the city makes $$...they offer you a court-day in 2 months, so you either pay the fine or loose the bail...