Watch on WYES-TV. Stream on wyes.org/live and on the free PBS app.
Premieres on Thursday, January 22, 2026 at 7:30pm. Repeats on Saturday, January 24 at 5pm; Sunday, January 25 at 10am; Wednesday, January 28 at 3pm; Saturday, January 31 at 5pm
Arthur Hardy’s name is synonymous with New Orleans’ Mardi Gras. In 2026, as the man who literally wrote the book on Carnival marks a milestone anniversary for his Mardi Gras Guide and prepares to retire, WYES is celebrating the life & career of this local legend.
In the new WYES documentary ARTHUR HARDY: OUR MARDI GRAS GUIDE, produced, edited and narrated by Dennis Woltering, Hardy’s friends, family and Carnival colleagues will highlight his love for the celebration as well as the pivotal role he has played in spreading the message of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras’ cultural and economic impact around the world. Interviews, archival photos and footage document the career of the man who has become the purple, green and gold standard for media coverage of Mardi Gras.
When Hardy and his wife Susan, both educators, founded the Mardi Gras Guide in 1977, his interests were in music more than Mardi Gras, as the band director at Brother Martin High School. Seeing a need for improved coverage of the Carnival parade calendar, the couple set out to create “the “complete companion to the parade season.” It was not an overnight success, but the Hardys were determined, energetic and enthusiastic.
Business grew and by the end of the next decade, Hardy and his signature bow tie were also making television appearances, which helped grow his brand. Since 1987, his encyclopedic knowledge has enhanced Carnival coverage on WWL, WDSU, WVUE, WYES, NOLA.com and WWL Radio’s coverage. He has appeared in nationally-produced documentaries about Carnival history and six times on NBC’s Today Show.
Hardy is about more than just Mardi Gras. The fifth-generation New Orleanian and Warren Easton High School graduate has been instrumental in the post-Hurricane Katrina success of his alma mater, where the school auditorium is named in his honor. He was the founding member of the Warren Easton Charter Foundation, has raised millions for the school and spearheaded its Hall of Fame.
In addition to the Mardi Gras Guide, Hardy has written and published several editions of his book, Mardi Gras in New Orleans: An Illustrated History and writes daily features during the parade season for The Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate & NOLA.com.
During his 50-year career, he has written and broadcast thousands of words about Carnival in his magazines, books, articles and TV appearances. This new documentary gives others the chance to share a few special words about him.
Interviews include: Arthur Hardy, Susan Hardy, Peggy Scott Laborde, Errol Laborde, Dr. Stephen Hales, Henri Schindler, Dominick Caronna, Jimmy Clark, Joe Duke, James Henderson Jr., David Johnson, Alexina Medley and John Snell.
