Street
flambeaux
What does flambeaux mean?
Whirling kerosene torches twirled by walkers alongside night parades like Le Krewe d'Etat and Hermes. Originally a practical fix — Black men were paid pennies and tossed coins to light the route before electric lights — now a kept tradition that's pure spectacle. Tip the flambeaux carriers.
"The flambeaux spinning past the oaks on St. Charles is the most New Orleans thing you'll ever see."
Origin
French for 'torches.' New Orleans flambeaux date to the 1850s, originally carried by enslaved and later free Black men to illuminate Carnival's night parades.
Frequently asked questions
What does "flambeaux" mean?
They're the lit torches carried by walkers in nighttime Mardi Gras parades.
How do you use "flambeaux" in a sentence?
For example: "The flambeaux carriers lit the whole route as the floats rolled by."
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