Flambeaux History

New Orleans...... Flambeaux originated a century and a half ago to light the floats in night parades. Flambeaux carriers that held lights which lit the way for the floats and night parades before there were electric streetlamps able to gather light in such focus that it would enable crowds on the routes to adequately see the style and fancy, of the parades.

The antics of these "carriers", were held in such regard that people would throw coins to them as a gesture of thanks for the laughter in the function in which they served. The coins are usually in the amounts of 25 or 50, cents and one dollar.

Flambeaux (that's the plural; the singular is flambeau) are burning torches carried in night parades by people known for their uninhibited twirling, general clowning around and prancing They usually are made of torches mounted on wooden poles, although railroad flares sometimes are used. They are backed with sheets of aluminum to reflex the light given off by the torch. They are usually powered by kerosene, but some have used oil, and propane. If you construct your own, take heed, never use gasoline to power a torch. Some of the big parades, notably Endymion, have gone one better and come up with space-age neon "flambeaux." They look great, but they somehow just aren't the same as the real thing.

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