Barbegazi

The sound of the snow roaring down the mountain was deafening. The blinding white covered everything in its path and a dusting of snowflakes spread far beyond that. However, if you listened closely you could hear periodic shrieks of laughter over the freight train sound as the snow rushed downhill. If you had some binoculars trained on the mountain and didn’t blink you might even catch sight of something that would make you think you were seeing things. If you were one of a handful of lucky people you might get a glimpse of the elusive and mysterious Barbegazi. What are Barbegazi you ask?

Barbegazi are originally from France and Switzerland and they are also the newest troupe in the Krewe of Krampus. The Barbegazi are little gnomes that wear fur, have a long beard, and stomp through life on enormous feet! Their name comes from the French word “barbe-glacee,” which means frozen beard. In the summer they hibernate underground, but in the winter they are active and can’t get enough of having fun in the snow. A favorite pastime for them is to ski down the raging torrents of snow during an avalanche. If you are lucky you may even hear their loud piercing whistle warning you of the impending doom heading your way during the avalanche, so move fast. However, if you don’t and are buried in snow, depending on the mood of the Barbegazi, they may dig you out and save your life. They’ve even been known to help shepherds round up lost sheep when they are feeling particularly benevolent.

The one thing that can always be counted on with this troupe is to create chaos and play in the snow. If you were lucky enough you might have even seen them debut in our 2021 NOLAuf Parade where they made snow angels and played with giant snowballs. They even engaged some lucky parade goers in their antics. Look for them in our NOLAuf parade as they zoom around on their trikes leaving chaos and smiles in their wake.