The Storyville Stompers Jazz up Twelfth Night in New Orleans

Runnin’ Wild at Réveillon From Christmas to Twelfth Night, the final week of December and the first week of January are among the most festive weeks of each year, especially in old New Orleans. After a month of sumptuous Réveillon repasts and musical merry-making, New Orleanians really start to swing on Twelfth Night (also known as the Epiphany) observed as a church festival in commemoration of the coming of the Magi as the first manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles. In New Orleans, Twelfth Night marks both the end of the Christmas season and the beginning of Carnival. Every year on January 6, a local organization called the Phunny Phorty Phellows herald the arrival of Carnival in New Orleans by initiating a “Carnival Countdown.” At 7 pm that evening, they all board a streetcar for a raucous ride up and down the entire St. Charles Streetcar line. Crowds gather along the tracks to cheer, wave, and catch the first beads of Mardi Gras. The masked Phellows first took to the streets in 1878 before taking a long break from 1898 until 1981. Humor has always been part of the Phunny Phorty tradition, so krewe members often dress in satiric costumes that reflect topical issues. Their motto is: “A little nonsense now and then is cherished by the best of men.” The official band for the streetcar ride is The Storyville Stompers Brass Band, veterans of 37 seasons of s