Members of Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club toast to the festivities at the 40th annual "Greasing of the Poles" outside of the Royal Sonesta Hotel in the French Quarter of New Orleans on February 12, 2010.

The "Greasing of the Poles" began as a practicality, to discourage Mardi Gras revelers from climbing up the poles outside of the hotel to reach coveted balcony real estate. While still practical, covering the poles with petroleum jelly has become a...
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Members of Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club toast to the festivities at the 40th annual "Greasing of the Poles" outside of the Royal Sonesta Hotel in the French Quarter of New Orleans on February 12, 2010.

The "Greasing of the Poles" began as a practicality, to discourage Mardi Gras revelers from climbing up the poles outside of the hotel to reach coveted balcony real estate. While still practical, covering the poles with petroleum jelly has become a spectacle all in and of itself, with celebrity greasers, music, and a large crowd looking on. It is always performed on the Friday morning before Mardi Gras weekend, and is the unofficial start of the festivities in the French Quarter.
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