Register HERE

In New Orleans, Mardi Gras is a time of creativity, frivolity, social connections, and cultural expression. The unique practices of the Big Easy have been created over generations of tradition, with infusions sparked by newcomers and notable events. From jewelry fit for a queen and the bold feathers of Black Masking Indians to parade throws and house floats, Lydia Blackmore will explain the creative elements of the “Greatest Free Show on Earth.”

Lydia Blackmore is the decorative arts curator at The Historic New Orleans Collection. She earned an MA and a certificate in museum studies from the Winterthur Program in American Material Culture at the University of Delaware; she also holds a degree in history from the College of William and Mary. In addition to expanding and researching the decorative arts collections at THNOC, including the Williams Residence historic home, Blackmore has curated or co-curated several exhibitions, including: Goods of Every Description: Shopping in New Orleans, 1825–1925 (2016-2017); Pieces of History: Ten Years of Decorative Arts Fieldwork (2021); and Making Mardi Gras (Jan. 6 – May 8, 2022).

Image Caption: Strangers’ Guide and Map of New Orleans: Mardi Gras, 1892; by Henry H. Solomon; New Orleans: J. B. Cameron, 1892; The Historic New Orleans Collection, 2001-204-RL.3