September 2-7, 2015
Southern Decadence is the largest gay event in New Orleans, and it is also the unofficial end of the summer circuit party season in the South. Over 160,000 people will arrive in New Orleans and will stay in the French Quarter for five days of round-the-clock parties, fun and all-around debauchery. Let me tell you what’s going on day by day throughout the entire week.
Many of Southern Decadence’s events revolve around the nightclub complex Bourbon Pub and Parade, located at 801 Bourbon Street, as well as the Golden Lantern (1239 Royal St.). If you’re interested in buying a VIP pass for all of the events, it costs $100 and entitle you to VIP entry to every event, which includes express check-in, express entrance, a welcome cocktail on Thursday night and a cocktail reception just for VIPs on Saturday night. If you’re just there for the weekend, your weekend pass will cost $60 and that entitles you to a welcome cocktail on Thursday, guaranteed admission to every event, and priority admission over people paying at the door.
Everyone should get in and get settled on Wednesday, September 2. On Thursday, September 3, the Bourbon Pub and Parade hosts the 44th annual welcome party beginning at midnight. It will be hosted by “the bearded lady” Billy Francesca and Miss Gay America 2006 Nicole Dubois. There will also be a rather racy contest for men who have…the goods, if you know what I mean! 
There will be dancing all night long featuring music by DJ Sean Michael.
On Friday, September 4, the Southern Decadence Float Parade will begin at Washington Park at 7:30 p.m. The floats will travel down Decatur and Canal Streets to Bourbon Street and finally Ursulines, traversing Marigny and the French Quarter. This parade is organized by Toby Lefort and the Knights of Decadence. It is free to view the parade. After the parade, at 11 p.m, Southern Decadence’s annual amateur strip night, “The Boys on Parade,” begins at Bourbon Pub and Parade. Billy Francesca and Rhea Litré will host and judge all the sexy men taking their clothes off! DJ Mike Bryant from Los Angeles will be spinning all night long.
Be sure to be out and about at 6 p.m. on Saturday, September 5 for the Bourbon Street Extravaganza, a free outdoor concert which will set up shop on the corner of Bourbon and St. 
Ann Streets. This year’s performers include Kristine W., Jeanie Tracy, Inaya Day, and Rozalla. Then, when the concert is over, head on back to the Bourbon Pub and Parade for the “Hot Butt Contest,” hosted by Rhea Litré and Nicole Dubois. Music will be provided before 11 p.m. by DJ Sean Michael and after 11 p.m. by Kidd Madonny, returning to Southern Decadence direct from South Florida!
After you’re done with your beignets for brunch, head to the Golden Lantern (1239 Royal St.) for the Southern Decadence Walking Parade. It begins at the Lantern at 2 p.m. and will stop off at various locations at the whims of the grand marshals, who will be greeting crowds at many businesses. The Bourbon Pub and Parade will host a tea dance at 4 p.m., hosted by Billy Francesca, but that’s not the only event on the schedule! Later on, DJ Ivan will be spinning in his first-ever New Orleans appearance, followed by a special performance by The Debutantess of the Deep South, 
Shangela. Then, at 2 a.m., there will be a sexy on-stage performance featuring Titan Men Hans Berlin and Tyler Rush! You can’t miss this!
The final night of Southern Decadence begins at 8 p.m. on Monday, September 7 with a “hung over and broke” party at Bourbon Pub and Parade, featuring the exotic dancers Eros and Poseidon from Scorpio Boys Entertainment. They will be joined by the Lipstixxx Ladies on Parade.
The Southern Decadence grand marshals this year are Steven Mora, Rip and Marsha Naquin-Delain, Misti Ates, and Frankie Fierce. They are raising money for this year’s official Southern Decadence charities, which are the LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana, Louisiana Equality Foundation, and the PFLAG New Orleans Scholarship Fund.
If you’re interested in reading more about Southern Decadence, including their tips on how to book an affordable hotel room in the French Quarter for this event, visit southerndecadence.net. Follow Southern Decadence on Twitter @DecadenceNOLA.
