March 4
It has been called “the most famous drag-queen contest in America,” and it has been going on for more than five decades. The Bourbon Street Awards in the French Quarter take place on Mardi Gras day around noon at the corner of Bourbon and St. Ann streets, in the heart of the city’s gay and lesbian district.
Awards are given for: Best Drag, Best Leather, Best Group and Best of Show. First-, second- and third-place prizes are awarded in each category. Celebrity hostesses (in drag, of course) serve as emcees for the contest and awards ceremonies. The contest is held rain or shine, and it’s hard to say which is better – watching or participating.