It’s not even February, but that hasn’t stopped the infamous Krewe of Chad from marking their territory along Orleans Avenue in Mid-City.
The Krewe of Chad references the overeager Endymion paradegoers who spray-paint the neutral ground in an effort to “claim” their spot. The term for the group was coined years ago and has held up each year — simply because the group keeps returning earlier and earlier, hoping that a little spray paint will mean something. I think we’ve all learned that it doesn’t matter whether it be a sharpie marker on a map or spray paint on a neutral ground — it won’t mean squat.
In orange spray paint, the Krewe of Chad member marked a sizable portion of the neutral ground on Orleans Avenue and simply put the word “The Mayor” in the orange boxed-off space.
It’s not even February, #KreweOfChad.
Already along Orleans Avenue, the first spray paint-marked spot has arrived. Yes, it says “The Mayor” in the orange spray paint. pic.twitter.com/b647SCHGhg
— Very Local New Orleans (@verylocalnola) January 30, 2020
The graffitied stake to claim a plot of precious space for the parade was spotted Thursday (Jan. 30). The Krewe of Endymion rolls on Feb. 22.
It seems to start earlier and earlier for the Chads each year. For 2020, it came on the day that the New Orleans City Council ushered in new rules for Carnival. They will take effect in the final two weeks of the season.
See Also: Dear Chad, please don’t be a jerk for Mardi Gras
Among the rules, placing chairs or ladders more than four hours ahead of a parade is prohibited – putting an exact timeline of when it’s too early to “claim a spot.” The Krewe of Chad was 552 hours early – 138 times ahead of when a spot could be “reserved.” No chairs or ladders were used to stake the land — just bright orange spray paint marking the dirt and grass.
I guess the “mayor” of the Krewe of Chad is hoping for diplomatic immunity. Nonetheless, NOLA Twitter was ready to make its own point for the “mayor” of “Krewe of Chad.”
https://twitter.com/AmandaSoprano/status/1222970160400781313
What if — hear me out — we all just started standing and setting up in these areas because they mean absolutely nothing and completely ruin the spirit of Mardi Gras? https://t.co/1AoQGeHPeh
— nü dad (@animatedGeoff) January 30, 2020
— Machine Gun Karsty (@jameskarst) January 30, 2020
https://twitter.com/KyleDigby/status/1222972384598274051
https://twitter.com/BeyondBourbonSt/status/1223047320482258945
https://twitter.com/AmandaSoprano/status/1222970160400781313
BREAKING NEWS: all the spray paint you see on Orleans, from now until parade day, is actually a friend of ours.
They’re doing it as a joke and told us, “even though it’s marked, spots are open to everyone. We just love creating neutral ground art”
ENJOY EVERYONE! https://t.co/mPCw9IdWsS
— Breaux Mart (@BreauxMart) January 31, 2020
