They Came, They Claimed, They Spray-Painted
Every Mardi Gras season and Jazz Fest weekend, a familiar pest emerges from the suburban hinterlands and descends upon the neutral grounds of New Orleans: the Krewe of Chad. They travel in packs. They wear matching tank tops or fraternity letters. They claim vast swaths of public land as their sovereign territory, marking the boundaries with folding chairs, tarps, tape, and — in one now-legendary incident — spray paint.
In 2013, Gambit went viral with a photo of the Orleans Avenue neutral ground spray-painted edge-to-edge with the name of a krewe nearly a week before Endymion was set to roll. The audacity was breathtaking. Not content with simply arriving early to secure a spot — which is the time-honored tradition — someone had decided to tag public property like a dog marking a hydrant, but with less subtlety.
The Territorial Imperative
The Krewe of Chad operates on a simple principle: if you put your stuff on it, it's yours. Never mind that the neutral ground is public property. Never mind that you're staking a claim three days before the parade rolls. Never mind that the folding chairs you left out have been knocked over by the wind and are now blocking traffic. The territory has been claimed. Respect the tape.
Caution is needed when walking through their territory. The Chads are generally harmless — fueled by beer and enthusiasm rather than malice — but they will defend their square footage with the righteous indignation of homeowners disputing a property line. Trying to set up your blanket too close to their perimeter can result in passive-aggressive commentary, aggressive-aggressive commentary, or being informed that "our buddy's coming and that's his spot."
Frequently Asked Questions About the Krewe of Chad
Who is the Krewe of Chad?
The Krewe of Chad is the tongue-in-cheek name for groups — typically young men in matching attire — who aggressively claim neutral ground space during Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest, often days before events begin.
Is spray-painting the neutral ground legal?
No. Defacing public property is illegal, though enforcement during Mardi Gras season can be, shall we say, inconsistent.
How early do people claim parade spots?
It varies by parade and location, but chairs and tarps can appear days — sometimes a full week — before major parades like Endymion and Bacchus.
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