Largest Krampus Event in the United States

Welcome to New Orleans and the last place you might have thought is home to the largest Krampus event in the United States. However, a Krampuslauf or Krampus run is the perfect fit for the city that is known for parades and street performances.

Krampus Events grow in the U.S.

Krampuslaufs have been around for ages. Yet here in the United States Krampus parades and events have only more recently taken hold. It was in the mid 2000s that the popularity of Krampus made it’s way onto social media accounts in America. Shortly after actual Krampus events started happening across the states in a few select cities. Eventually making it’s way to the streets of New Orleans and quickly growing to become the biggest event of it’s kind.

While Krewe of Krampus is not the first in the country to stage yearly Krampus events, its history ties it to the early days of this European tradition here in North America. Krewe of Krampus founders, Michael Esordi and Diana Esordi, spent the early 2000s researching folklore around the globe. In 2008 Michael created Believe It Tour and with the help of Diana and some other friends, traveled all around the United States and several other countries documenting all sorts of strange legends and stories.

When hosting large Krampus events took root

Fascinated by the traditions around characters like Krampus, the Believe It Tour team sought out stories often told around Yule and Christmas time to keep people and mainly children in check. With these Yule traditions on his radar, it was in 2011 that Michael took note that a real Krampuslauf was going to be taking place here in the states. First thing to do was to contact the organizers and find out how to get involved. The rest is history.

For the next few years Michael and Diana made a yearly trip to help this event and to participate in it as well. Each time thinking about how to do it bigger and better.

Krampus in New Orleans

It was the move to New Orleans and experiencing the amazing parade culture there that it became clear, New Orleans would be the ideal location for a spectacular Kramapus parade.

So in 2015 it became official when Michael and Diana were visiting a friend in the French Quarter and Michael announced he was going to start a Krampus parade in New Orleans. Quickly followed by his claim to make it the largest event of it’s kind outside of Europe.

Krewe of Krampus and the Krampus NOLAuf was born.

Folklore starts somewhere, and new Krampus folklore starts in New Orleans

During the same visit that the idea of creating Krewe of Krampus was made public, Diana established that she would bring her female version of Krampus along for the ride. Later to be named, the Sisters of Shhh.

Traditionally men and boys play get to costume in the large Krampus events held outside the United States. This didn’t sit well with Diana when she noticed this was mostly true in other American Krampus events.

Being creative she developed a character that was conceived at the same time Krampus was in the beginning of time. Made of ice, this being will steal your soul if you utter a sound in her presence.

Over the years the popularity of the Sisters of SHHH has grown right along with the Krewe’s parade making for a very unique addition to a standard Krampuslauf

Why New Orleans has the biggest Krampus parade in America

Part culture, part creativity, part determination and part tradition, The Krewe of Krampus NOLAuf parade has become the biggest and most spectacular Krampus event in the United states.

Parades are a way of life in New Orleans. It’s what happens on the streets no matter what the occasion. So when Krewe captain, Michael Esordi used his creative abilities to design something a little different here in the South, people were instantly attracted to this spectacle. Using contrast of light and dark, loud and quiet, and good and evil as the basis for this stunning performance, makes a sensory experience like no other parade.

Combine the creative costuming skills of all the people that perform in the NOLAuf parade with the cleverness of the Queen of Shhh then top it off with the design and marketing skills of their captain makes for the perfect mix. The reason the Krampus event in New Orleans is the largest in the United States.

More than just Krampus

Set up with internal groups called troupes, the Krewe has introduced some other captivating creatures based on traditions from different cultures around the world. New Orleans has always been a melting pot of culture, the Krampus events put on by the Krewe are following that lead.

In addition to the Sisters of Shhh, Krewe of Krampus has more for the audience to experience and even learn a bit of cultural folklore along the way.

The third original troupe for the Krewe is the Y’ules. As the name might suggest this cast of character are all based on Yuletide customs from around the world. They just happen to put a southern twist on it for y’all. In this group you will find everything from the Yule cat from Iceland, the Schnabelperchten of German heritage, or the Mari Lywd of Whales.

As the Krewe and event gets larger there have been some additions of troupes along the way. Each with their own unique take on age old traditions. All bringing creating an even more dramatic street performance with their Krampus counterpart.

Attended by thousands of spectators, the annual Krewe of Krampus NOLAuf Parade is the largest and most spectacular Krampus event in the United States.

If you want to experience what a real Krampus parade is like, you only have to travel to New Orleans. Home of the biggest Krampus event of it’s kind.