- The parade begins at the French Market Place & Barracks.
- It turns left on Decatur Street.
- The parade continues down Decatur Street with a pause to Sing Happy Birthday to the Joan of Arc statue as it passes on the Decatur Street side.
- The parade turns right up Dumaine St. and then left onto Chartres St.
- The parade pauses with the sword blessing at the St. Louis Cathedral.
- It continues down Chartres St. and pauses at the Historic New Orleans Collection with a toast to the royalty and young Joan "Maid of Honor" from the balcony.
- The parade continues for one more block on Chartres St. and turns left onto Bienville St. to N. Peters St.
- At N. Peters St., the parade turns left and follows N. Peters St. to Decatur St and continues until Jackson Square and pauses at the sidewalk amphitheater (across from Jackson Square) for the crowning of the king and king cake ceremony at Oscar Dunn Park.
- The parade continues on Decatur St. to N. Peters St. back to the French Market, passing the statue of Joan of Arc statue for a second time.
- The parade ends at French Market Place and Barracks St.
Founded in 2008, Joan of Arc is an annual walking parade honoring our unofficial patron saint, “The Maid of Orleans”. The event melds medieval revelry with the traditions of Mardi Gras. It’s a celebration of the city’s French culture and heritage as well as St Joan of Arc’s birthday which coincides with Twelfth Night.
The procession is inspired by Joan’s time in France in the 1400s, when she liberated the citizens of Orleans, France from British siege. Honorary characters include the Maid of Honor, Joan of Arc, on horseback in a white robe with faux armor breastplate. Midway through the parade, she receives her sword after a blessing at St. Louis Cathedral.
Joan is joined on the parade route by Queen Yolande of Aragon and King Charles VII, the “Dauphin” who became King as a result of Joan of Arc’s efforts. The Maid of Honor is chosen in a student Joan competition, while the Queen and King are community leaders. Parade goers dress in gold to look like the statue of Joan in the French Quarter, a gift to the City of New Orleans from France in the 1950s.