I’ve reviewed an app before from Calliope Digital, and because I know the developer personally I'am always extra tough with any product they come out with.  I was on the wall about a previous app that came from the company but their new Mardi Gras Guide iPhone is a home run.  I say this because the app shined in all areas: design, usability, features, and content.

Quick List of Parades

The Mardi Gras iPhone app takes the Arthur Hardy magazine which is widely known for its in depth coverage of all the Mardi Gras parades and put them in your phone.  I’ve already had the chance to whip out my phone and rattle off parade info, times, and routes when asked by a coworker or family member.

The Schedule area gives you a list style breakdown of every parade including its name, location in the city, and time.  Clicking on the parade names spits out nuggets of information which include the theme, history, number of floats and its members, and any throws the parade will have.  In my opinion, the most useful feature is the Parade Route button, which shows you an aerial view with arrow markers mapping out the parade route.  Each parade also contains an Arthur Says button which gives you insider information from Mr. Hardy himself.

Arthur Hardy Section

Parades usually take a while to get wherever they have to go and finding something to pass the time is always a plus.  The Arthur Hardy area of the app is chalked full of information with Mardi Gras history, Mardi Gras Q&A, and even safety tips.  This can be a valuable guide for first timers or people from out of town.

So you got all the parade information, you’ve mapped out your route and you’ve even killed an hour brushing up on your Mardi Gras history.  Then you looked up and wonder, “Ok, it’s been a while, where is this parade at”?  The app also hooks in the WDSU parade tracker which tweets about the parade and its current location in real time.  My parents only wish they had access to this when they were young.

For me to buy an app, it’s got to be good and if I’m buying an app more than 99 cents it better be worth my money.  While this app is $4.99, I would highly recommend buying it because it’s literally gives you a full spectrum of all parade information in your pocket.

Full Disclosure: The company did give me a special code to download the app for free for this review.