In celebration of the new sister city relationship with Orléans, France, members of New Orleans-based Krewe de Jeanne d’Arc will walk in the 589th annual Joan of Arc parade in Orléans, France, May 8, by invitation of Orléans Mayor Olivier Carré.
The Krewe de Jeanne d’Arc parades annually on Twelfth Night in the French Quarter in celebration of Joan of Arc's January 6th birthday and New Orleans' French heritage. The Orléans parade commemorates May 8, 1429, when Jeanne d'Arc lifted the Siege of Orléans and saved France--thereby earning the moniker "The Maid of Orléans".
“We’re so excited to finally see the Orléans parade in person in our sister city, especially as it was one of the initial inspirations for our local parade. It’s a true honor to participate in what I consider our ‘big sister’ parade,” said Amy Kirk Duvoisin, Krewe de Jeanne d’Arc Captain and Founder.
Wearing their New Orleans costumes and bearing gifts of New Orleans parade throws, 14 members of the Krewe de Jeanne d’Arc, including the 2018 New Orleans Maid of Honor Martha Pinney, will march just behind the 2018 Orléans young Joan, Mathilde Edey Gamassou.
