Welcome to my home of New Orleans, Louisiana, the city that care forgot. Living below sea level and on borrowed time breeds a certain commitment to pleasure in a city built on vice. Every Labor Day weekend, Southern Decadence is a pressure release for a city that has survived a long, slow summer.
New Orleans is a well-kept secret protected by the many ghosts who inhabit this place and the spirit of the city itself. I’ll give away a few of my secrets for Southern Decadence weekend in hopes that you can join in the electric current that runs hot through the city on this special weekend.
Where to Stay
New Orleans is a small, charming city with many different neighborhoods that vary greatly in personality. I’d suggest staying somewhere Downtown—French Quarter, Marigny, Bywater, Treme—to be a stone’s throw away from the action. The Garden District and Uptown will feel slightly more removed, but hold their own appeal: beautiful residential architecture and blocks dotted with delicious restaurants.
While the French Quarter can be a charming central place to plant yourself, don’t forget to venture outside of the historic neighborhood. The city's best bars, restaurants and cafes filled with friendly and eager locals are a short and easy adventure outside of the obvious tourist haven near Bourbon St.
Where to Work Out
Girl, you're in New Orleans, give those guns a rest and pump your body full of salt and butter at the many decadent restaurants we have until you're ready for that delicious midday Southern nap.
But if you must, I suggest getting a day pass to The New Orleans Athletic Club in the French Quarter. Built in 1872, working out here feels almost secondary to wandering the building’s multiple floors imagining Tennesee Williams and the many ghosts cruising this marble filled relic. A great place to meet people, but keep your hands to yourself as they have cracked down and the days of casual encounters in the steam room are behind us.
Where to Cruise
The street! New Orleans has a palpable current of energy that you can dip in and out of at any time. Get outside, walk the streets, say hello, strike up a conversation. New Orleans is a very friendly, social place, and Southern hospitality is alive and well here. Be open and you’ll be swept up in the magic—and maybe a little bit of trouble—soon enough.
The best thing about Southern Decadence weekend is that, like Mardi Gras, it’s is not centralized to any particular venue. 250,000 people descend onto the city—especially the French Quarter—and make it their playground for the weekend.
The streets between the family of gay bars (Oz New Orleans, Bourbon Pub & Parade, Cafe Lafittes in Exile, Good Friends, Rawhide Lounge, The Corner Pocket , The Golden Lantern, The Page, Le Cabaret) called “The Fruit Loop” are filled to the brim with tourists and locals alike milling from one bar to the next with their eyes peeled looking for action and, uh, action. A few of those gay bars within the loop may or may not quietly turn the light off in their backrooms or upstairs just for the weekend, which makes for some easy encounters.
If nature is your scene, certain areas of the forests in City Park—check the Sniffies map—are a beautiful backdrop to make a connection.
Where to Go Out
As mentioned before, the streets of the French Quarter and the many gay bars of the Fruit Loop are where the action is, but don’t stop there. Most of downtown New Orleans is very queer friendly and you’ll find more locals outside of the French Quarter. Tonique on Rampart St. has the best cocktails. Anna’s in the Marigny offers great drinks in a two story historic building staffed with the coolest queers and cool kid clientele. Poor Boys Bar is great for late night dancing and antics especially during Gimme A Reason, the monthly queer dance party I’ve been hosting for over a decade. The Phoenix bar is unbeatable if you need to scratch that classic leather bar itch.
For Southern Decadence kick off your weekend at Sniffies Cruising Revival: Southern Decadence Then and Now on Thursday, September 3, 6-10PM in the church of Hotel Peter & Paul. A panel discussion led by Leo Herrera on the history of Southern Decadence, cruising, and sexual freedom that flows right into a party with tunes selected by local legend phlegm. After that you can follow the crowd just around the corner to The Phoenix, New Orleans’ iconic leather bar institution where they'll be kicking off their block party that runs throughout the weekend. All roads lead to the Phoenix, every night.
Horse Meat Disco presented by Father Figure is an obvious choice for your big box, packed-to-the-brim dance party on Saturday, but don’t sleep on the secret side room that’ll be pumping local DJs Female Trouble and Funke. The Hit It crew are your local bad boys organizing the more adventurous events of the weekend. IYKYK.
The weekend culminates Sunday at 2PM on the steps of The Golden Lantern in the French Quarter where the Southern Decadence Grand Marshall leads the Southern Decadence Parade through the streets of the French Quarter igniting and all day rager throughout the entire neighborhood.
Top secret: Don’t miss Dykeadence Sunday night at No Dice in the Bywater. It’s a sapphic–forward dance party where you’ll find the best music of the weekend, and a mixed crowd of local queers of all persuasions.
Join us at Sniffies Cruising Revival: Southern Decadence Then and Now. Tickets are sold out -- limited entry will be available at the door based on occupancy.