Southern Decadence Parade 2026

Storyboard

Sep 8

September 2026

Which was hotter – the weather or the costumes? Thousands lined the streets of the French Quarter to see the 54th edition of this ribald parade.

- photos by Cheryl Gerber

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Southern Decadence ParadeSouthern Decadence 2026French Quarter ParadeCheryl Gerber

Cheryl Gerber

Cheryl Gerber is a freelance journalist and documentary photographer working in New Orleans, where she was born. She began her journalism career as a reporter but switched to photography after spending a year working in Honduras. In 1992, she began working for Michael P. Smith, who nurtured her desire to document daily life in New Orleans.

She began working with Gambit Weekly as a staff photographer in 1994 and today is a regular contributor to The New York Times, the Associated Press, New Orleans Magazine and French Quarter Journal. During the past two decades, Cheryl has won several awards from the New Orleans Press Club for her work on social issues and news photography.

Cheryl is the author of three books: NEW ORLEANS: Life and Death in the Big Easy, Cherchez La Femme: New Orleans Women, and The Danse Macabre: Celebration and Survival in New Orleans. Follow her on Substack here.