NEW ORLEANS — The wait is almost over.
In just hours, it will finally be acceptable to take your first bite of king cake this year as Carnival season officially begins. Lines will start forming early in the morning in front of bakeries across the city.
"I've been here since 3:30 this morning," owner of Bywater Bakery, Alton Osborn said Thursday.
His team worked tirelessly to try make enough king cakes to handle the Twelfth Night demand.
"Approximately 1,000," Osborn said.
Osborn said the next seven weeks will be their busiest.
"A third of our income each year is through the king cake business," he said.
Thursday was just as busy inside Caluda's King Cakes in Harahan. Owner John Caluda started making and selling king cakes in 1990.
"It's exciting to get the front open again, the lines, the people," he said.
They're prepared to sell 1,500 a day in grocery stores and 500 a day from their storefront, where they expect to sell out.
"On Kings Day its early, probably by noon," Caluda's son, Josh Caluda, said. "We normally have a good line like 50 people deep around 7 a.m."
Bywater Bakery is expecting a huge crowd Friday for their annual king cake kickoff party from noon to 4 p.m.
King Cake Hub is hosting a king cake countdown party Thursday from 9 p.m. - midnight at Zony Mash Tap Room. When the clock strikes midnight, they'll cut in.
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