NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) Rex reigns as the King of Carnival every Mardi Gras in New Orleans. This year, he nearly lost his crown when his float hit a tree on Saint Charles Avenue.
Parade goer Skarlett Roa happened to be recording the parade with her phone when the collision occurred.
“I think you can even hear me scream,” Roa tells WGNO News.
Roa was watching the parade near Saint Charles and Jackson Avenues. The video is only a few seconds long, so we slowed it down for a better view.
In the video, you see the Rex float, an iconic Mardi Gras element, as it rolls under one of New Orleans’ historic oak trees. The top of the float, the crown, clips a branch and appears as though it might be ripped apart. But before any significant damage is inflicted, the branch bends far enough to allow the crown to slip past it and snap back into shape.
There were no injuries, and Rex was able to overcome the moment to continue toward his toasts and Mardi Gras ball.
Roa’s video is at the top of this story. Big thanks to her for passing it along!
