NEW ORLEANS — Carnival season is in full swing with the Krewe of Nefertiti rolling through New Orleans East Sunday. The early heavy rain was gone in time for the parade with only a few light showers left. Plenty of people brought their umbrellas and didn't let it deter them.
"You know I was praying for this weather to not come. I said, 'not right now!'" said Carolyn Verdin who lives close to the parade route.
The Queen of Nefertiti, Sergeant Summer Turner traded her NOPD uniform for a custom-made gown draped in jewels to ride in the parade.
"Now that the day is here, it’s a bit surreal," Sgt. Turner said. "I'm really excited."
She helped form the Krewe of Nefertiti in 2018 bringing a parade back to the East for the first time since 1992.
"We loving it, we loving it, having it back to the East, we don't have to go Uptown," said Alma Keppard.
Councilmember Oliver Thomas threw beads from a car to lead the parade.
"We see the developments happening out here and for this krewe to believe in this community is unbelievable," Thomas said. "There are some of us from here who live here, who understand our culture, who understand how wonderful this community is, who are not afraid of it. We wrap our arms around it, we revel it, we treasure it."
The parade had 16 floats, dancing krewes, and high school marching bands. It rolled down Lake Forest and Read boulevards.
"When you see all these different people from all walks of life, it is a celebration," Verdin said.
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