Rex 2013 is attorney and civic leader William H. Hines, Managing Partner of the New Orleans-based law firm of Jones Walker. Mr. Hines, who graduated from Isidore Newman School before earning degrees from Princeton University and the University of Virginia, joined the Jones Walker law firm in 1983 and became its Managing Partner in 2006. Mr. Hines has been honored by St. Charles Magazine, the Family Service Society, the Young Leadership Council, the New Orleans Regional Chamber of Commerce and many other organizations for his tireless work on behalf of New Orleans and the region. He has chaired the boards of Greater New Orleans, Inc., the Committee of 100 for Economic Development, the Idea Village, the Council for a Better Louisiana and Metrovision, and chaired and served on numerous other boards advancing the business, social and cultural interests of the city and region. State and local government leaders have called on Mr. Hines to lead important local and regional initiatives to strengthen the region's commercial and cultural resources. He helped lead the effort to attract a professional basketball team to New Orleans, and was appointed by the Governor to the Louisiana National Football League Stadium Advisory Committee. He also serves as the Honorary Consul for Portugal.
The Queen of Carnival 2013, Miss Nina O'Brien Sloss, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lynes Robinson Sloss. Her mother is the former Eugenie Huger of New Orleans. Miss Sloss graduated from Isidore Newman School, where she competed in volleyball and tennis, and now attends the University of Georgia. She majors in International Affairs with a minor in English, and is a member of the Phi Mu Sorority. Miss Sloss has interned with the designer Vera Wang in New York City and with Temple Hill Entertainment in Los Angeles, and plans to work in Washington, D.C. following graduation. The 2013 Queen of Carnival's family has played many roles in Carnival and the Rex Organization. Her great-grandfather, Joseph Merrick Jones, was Rex in 1959, and her grandmother, Eugenie Penick Jones, was Queen of Carnival in 1952. An aunt, Deborah Hopkins Huger, was Queen in 1979. Her mother, Eugenie Elizabeth Huger, was a Maid in the court in 1978. The Queen's brother, Alexander Dimitry Sloss, was a Page in 2001 and a Duke in 2011. - REXORGANIZATION.COM
***ALERT*** Krewes of Zeus, Hera cancel Monday parades due to weather
Metairie's Krewes of Zeus and Hera have canceled their Monday night parades, citing the threat for severe weather, officials announced in a news release.The parades were set to roll Lundi Gras evening in Metairie.Hera was set to make its debut this year. Its partner krewe, Zeus, which is Metairie's oldest krewe, made headlines amid questions about its status but said it did plan to roll, at least until bad weather changed those plans.The krewes still plan to stage an outdoor event at Veterans Blvd. and Severn Ave. beginning at noon on Monday. - WWLTV.COM
***ALERT*** NEW START TIMES: Krewe of Okeanos, Krewe of Proteus, Krewe of Orpheus NOPD PRESS RELEASE: After receiving information from the National Weather Service of expected inclement weather, Superintendent Ronal Serpas, Parade Crew Captains and Organizers have made the following adjustments to the Parade Schedule for the safety of the float riders and parade goers: Sunday, February 10, 2013 Okeanos, Mid-City and Thoth are all planning to roll at their regular scheduled times with Okeanos preparing to start 30 minutes early at 10:30am, allowing Mid-City and Thoth to follow. All three parades will follow their normal route until they reach Canal Street, at which point they will turn right with traffic towards the river to their normal disband area. Bacchus will be staged and ready for their normal start of 5:15pm, however if all elements are in place they will start earlier than their normal 5:15pm time. Monday, February 11, 2013 Proteus will be prepared to start at 4:30pm (45 minutes early) and will make their planned crossover to the lakebound side of Canal Street for disband. Orpheus will follow Proteus with a start time of 5:30pm (30 minutes early) and will make the hard right onto the riverbound side of Canal Street (with traffic) to Tchoupitoulas to their disband area. Tuesday, February 12, 2013 Rex and Zulu will roll at their traditional start times. As of today, we have not made any adjustments to the scheduled Tambourine and Fan event at Orleans and Claiborne. - FOX8LIVE.COM
Unfiled paperwork brings cloud of uncertainty for Zeus parade
The Krewe of Zeus may still roll if proper paperwork is filed with Jefferson Parish by Friday. Wednesday, it appeared the oldest krewe in Metairie wouldn't roll at all on its Lundi Gras date, according to Jefferson Parish officials. However, the logistics officer of the krewe told WDSU later in the day that the organization has the proper paperwork and will file it with the city by Friday's deadline. Jefferson Parish councilmembers raised doubts about the krewe when insurance paperwork wasn't filed. Jefferson Parish's oldest parading organization is expected to celebrate its 56th year rolling. The parade features 20 floats and about 50 units. - WDSU.COM
Krewe of Mid City Sneak peak float development A very special thank you from us here at MardiGrasParadeSchedule.com to Ricardo Pustanio and the Krewe of Mid City for graciously opening their den doors to us and not only allow us to see the floats early but to also archive the building process on the props and floats. The Krewe of Mid City is known for their foil floats (the only ones in Mardi Gras like them) and the mastery of Artist Designer Ricardo Pustanio's usage of old school Papier-mâché techniques to bring not only the foil to life but also the props as well. - MARDIGRASPARADESCHEDULE.COM
G.W. Bailey to reign as Bacchus XLV Actor G.W. Bailey, best known for his roles in the “Police Academy” movies and the cable TV crime drama “The Closer,” will reign as this year’s Bacchus, the Carnival krewe has announced. Bailey’s recent career highlights have included a starring role on the TNT cable drama “The Closer.” He appeared in all episodes during the show’s seven-season run. Bailey now stars in a spinoff, “Major Crimes,” continuing his role as Detective Lt. Louie Provenza. Police roles have been his trademark, including Lt. (later promoted to Capt.) Thaddeus Harris, the Police Academy character in five of the popular 1980s movies. His other law enforcement roles have included Sgt. Rizzo in M*A*S*H and Capt. Felix Maxwell in the 1980s movie "Mannequin." Bailey is also one of the founders and current executive director of The Sunshine Kids Foundation, a non-profit for young cancer patients. Several Sunshine Kids are expected to make the trip to New Orleans to ride with Bailey in the parade. Bailey has worked with the group for more than 15 years, since being introduced to the organization by his goddaughter, who was diagnosed with leukemia. Bacchus rolls on Feb. 10 on the Uptown parade route. - WWLTV.COM
Krewe of Muses Float Riding Spot in eBay Auction With Cleopatra moving over from the West Bank and Nyx riding the night before, the Krewe of Muses have some new femme company at night on St. Charles Ave. However, a spot with the famed all-female krewe remains coveted. The Muses are once again offering one bidder a chance to skip to the front of the wait list by auctioning off a seat on one of their famed floats. The Muses have once again taken to eBay to auction off a seat on one of their floats. Bidding starts at $1,000, and can be viewed here. Bidders must be a woman over 18 years old. The package includes a costume, mask, package of throws and entry to the riding-members-only pre-party beginning at 2 p.m., as well as the post-parde aMUSEment Party featuring Cameo. Bidding ends Fri. Jan 18, at 6:30 p.m - NOLADEFENDER.COM • EBAY.COM
Mardi Gras krewes to host day-before festival in Metairie Two Mardi Gras krewes, Metairie’s oldest and its newest, are teaming up for a day-long public festival to enliven Lundi Gras in the Veterans Memorial Boulevard median. And they’ll give away a $20,000 motorcycle to whoever catches the winning throw during their parades. The announcement came Monday from the krewes of Zeus, parading in 2013 for the 56th year, and Hera, making its debut this season just ahead of Zeus on Feb. 11. Their Lundi Fest will include three bands playing from 12:30 to 5 p.m., face painters, stilt walkers and vendors selling food and crafts on Veterans just east of Severn Avenue. - NOLA.COM
Rex, tourism promoters revive tradition of distributing Mardi Gras summons After the Rex organization launched its first Mardi Gras parade in 1872, the founders came up with a clever way to attract a crowd. They sent out posters bearing a declaration from the king about his one-day reign over New Orleans, beckoning visitors to join the celebration. The edicts, posted in train stations and reproduced in newspapers, were a Rex promotional mainstay for about 50 years and an early tourism marketing effort for the city, until they were replaced by a single declaration delivered to the mayor on Twelfth Night, the first day of the Carnival season. The Rex organization in 2013, along with the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau and Tourism Marketing Corporation, revived the tradition of the king broadly issuing edicts for visitors to come to Mardi Gras. Rex distributed the posters for about 50 years starting in the 1870s but then in most years gave the proclamation only to the mayor of New Orleans.The Rex organization. We pushed it out electronically, through... social media and press releases," said Mark Romig, president of the tourism marketing group and a Rex member. "It's another unique way to get the news out about Mardi Gras." - NOLA.COM
Rex Announces 2013 Parade Theme "All Creatures Great and Small" "All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small," the first lines of a beloved Anglican hymn, provide the theme for the 2013 Rex Procession. Creatures-real and imaginary, massive and tiny-make up the colorful Rex Carnival menagerie. The hymn was first published in C.F. Alexander's "Hymns for Little Children" in 1848. James Herriot chose "All Creatures Great and Small" as the title of his popular book about a Yorkshire veterinarian. This fanciful collection of creatures of nature and mythology inspires the design of the floats of the 2013 Rex Parade. With 27 floats and 450 riders, the 2013 Rex Procession will roll along the traditional St. Charles Avenue parade route beginning at 10 AM on Mardi Gras, February 12, 2013. - REXORGANIZATION.COM
Phunny Phorty Phellows Herald the arrival of the 2013 Carnival Season Carnival Officially begins with the ride of the Phunny Phorty Phellows on Twelfth Night.The Phunny Phorty Phellows will board at the RTA streetcar barn, located on Willow Street, at 6:30 p.m. on Twelfth Night, Sunday, January 6th, 2013. The Phunny ride will begin at 7:00 p.m. sharp The streetcar, which, traditionally, is still bedecked in it’s yuletide dressings, will leave the station for a route that will take the partying Phellows on the St. Charles Streetcar line past Lee Circle and turnaround at Canal and then back to the barn. You can’t miss the streetcar, it’s the one with the really noisy party inside and a big sign hanging from it reading: “It’s Carnival Time!”. Look for members passing out special commemorative beads from the streetcar. Also, Krewe de Jeanne D’Arc marches in the French Quarter - MARDIGRASPARADESCHEDULE.COM
The purpose of this fundraising campaign is to secure as much capital as possible before Mardi Gras 2013 in order to keep rolling with the Elvi, especially on the biggest events of the year for them, in which the talents of the filmmaker's alone won't be enough. Funding will be usesd for Personnel, Equipment, Production, Posters, DVDs, Festivals etc. Movies Aren't Made From Inspiration Alone. The Krewe of the Rolling Elvi have grown to hundreds of members, and have become one of the most popular attractions to Mardi Gras visitors, and the people of New Orleans. As the krewe has grown, so has its positive influence on the world, with countless appearances for charity fundraising and great causes not just in New Orleans, but internationally as well. Their very presence creates laughter and smiles wherever they go. This is their story, the story of men who become kings, and make the world a better place.- INDIEGOGO.COM
Carnival krewe wants compensation from NFL
Not everyone is happy about the change in the parade schedule. The leader of one Carnival krewe said they should be compensated for the inconvenience and expenses associated with parading early. Some parading organizations say the change comes at a big cost. "There's a major impact on the Mardi Gras clubs, in my estimation, anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000," said Sam Scandaliato, captain of the Krewe of Pontchartrain. Scandaliato's krewe is set to roll on January 26. And he said having to roll so soon after the holidays has some out-of-town float riders skipping this year. He said participation this year is down about 10 percent. "I think it's really sort of fun where you have your first week of parades, then all of a sudden you stop and you have a Super Bowl which is a lot of fun activity, and then all of a sudden it's Mardi Gras," said Mardi Gras historian Errol Laborde. Laborde said it is really Carnival history repeating itself. "It happened once before, it happened in 2002," he said. That was after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and the NFL's postponement of some football games, Laborde said. "It backed up the Super Bowl which happened to be in New Orleans that year," said Laborde. "Mardi Gras is so tradition-bound, it seemed like a really outrageous thing. But I think that that happening in 2002 kind of created the template for this time around," LaBorde continued. The first parade of the season rolls on January 19. - FOX8LIVE.COM
The Original Krewe of Orpheus will not roll in 2013
For the past 25 years, the Original Krewe of Orpheus has rolled down the streets of Mandeville, throwing their signature pinecones. Unfortunately for Mardi Gras fans in Mandeville, the parade has been cancelled for 2013, according to Krewe Captain Brett Lowe.Last week, the Krewe of Lyra announced they will not parade in Mandeville, but have moved its parade to follow the traditional parades in Covington Mardi Gras Day, the Mystic Krewe of Covington and the Lion’s Club. However, Orpheus has no plans of moving. Lowe replied, “The Original Krewe of Orpheus will stick to Mandeville.” In connection with the decision, Lowe issued a press release that stated, “On behalf of Board of Directors, it is with major disappointment that we must inform everyone of our decision not to ride on Feb. 8, 2013. We have experienced financial difficulties through a decline in membership over the past few years, which dictates our abilities to produce a quality parade that we are proud of. We are re-organizing and will ride in 2014. We will take this time to rejuvenate our spirits and build our ranks. We are looking for gentlemen to help rebuild our organization from top to bottom.”. - THESTTAMMANYNEWS.COM
Slidell's Krewe of Claude will not roll in 2013
Officials with Slidell’s Krewe of Claude have decided they will not stage their annual parade or ball during the 2013 Carnival season. Club President Mary Ann Hicks said the parade was scheduled to roll Jan. 20 in front of the Krewe of Slidellians. Hicks said a sluggish economy has forced the club’s organizers to cancel the 2013 procession and instead focus on the 2014 event. “The economy is just bad and we don’t have the people putting the floats in that we need,” Hicks said. “There’s just not a lot of money out there right now to put on the parade.” Hicks said for people entering their own float, the cost could range from $600-$1,400 per unit. If a group of people wanted to rent a float and join the procession, the cost could total $3,500-$4,000 for the group. But with only 12 full-time club members and the current inability to find others who have the financial capability to join them, krewe officials decided it was best to cancel the 2013 event. The krewe also canceled its ball, which was to have been held Feb. 9 at the Slidell Municipal Auditorium.”. - NOLA.COM
Krewe of Orpheus announces 2013 plans
At a Thursday news conference, Krewe Captain Sonny Borey surprised krewe members when he revealed that co-founder Harry Connick, Jr. has written an original song in honor of the Krewe's 20th anniversary. Krewe members will throw a new Orpheus commemorative LED necklace that plays the new song's chorus during the spectacular parade. The parade will feature a nostalgic look back at all of the Krewe's parade themes from the past 20 years. Another specialty throw will be a doubloon featuring the Krewe's 2013 Musical Legend, "Uncle" Lionel Batiste, the bass drummer, vocalist, and assistant leader of the Treme Brass Band. Batiste died July 8, 2012. Leading the festivities and parade with Harry Connick, Jr. are other Celebrity Monarchs including star of the CBS hit show CSI New York, Gary Sinise; Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews; Animal Planet's Tillman the skateboarding bulldog; and returning monarchs, Law & Order SVU's Mariska Hargitay , and The Imagination Movers.. - FOX8LIVE.COM
Krewe of Lyra moves from Mandeville to Covington parade route
After several months of uncertainty concerning the Krewe of Lyra’s ability to parade in 2013, krewe officials have decided to move their next procession from Mandeville to downtown Covington. The 3-year-old Krewe of Lyra will parade on Mardi Gras, Feb. 12, this Carnival season, following the Krewe of Covington and the Lions Club parades that have rolled on that day in years past. Each of the parades is expected to hit the streets before noon on Mardi Gras, said Covington Mayor Mike Cooper, who made the announcement at Lyra’s recent coronation celebration. - NOLA.COM
Zulu battle over bylaws heads to court
Naaman Stewart’s first six months as Zulu president were marked with controversy after he chose to raise the dues to keep the group out of bankruptcy. A nearly month-long battle over membership dues and by-laws threatened to derail the Krewe of Zulu, one of New Orleans’ most popular parading organizations. A civil suit filed against the club ended in court Thursday after a judge granted an injunction to stop the club from increasing membership dues. The judge granted an injunction after the battle. Krewe members said they plan to work it out among themselves behind closed doors. A krewe member filed a lawsuit claiming the president violated club by-laws by raising dues without approval from its members.A judge granted an injunction stopping the club from continuing to collect dues at the increased rate; however, he did not order the krewe to return the money already collected. “He said enough by granting the injunction,” said David Betfield, the member’s attorney. “I’m hoping that cool heads prevail and that we close ranks and get within the Zulu club and do what we have to do.” - WDSU.COM
Endymion unveils new Pontchartrain Beach super float
Calling it the longest and one of the most spectacular floats in Carnival, leaders with the Krewe of Endymion on Thursday unveiled sketches for a new super float paying tribute to the former Pontchartrain Beach amusement park.The “Pontchartrain Beach, Then and Now” float, which will be 330 feet long and capable of holding more than 230 riders, will make its debut in next year’s parade on Saturday, Feb. 9. Sketches of it were unveiled to krewe members and reporters Thursday at Mardi Gras World. Krewe captain and founder Ed Muniz said that plans were originally for the float to debut in 2016 or 2017 for the krewe’s 50th anniversary, but that the timing of next year’s Carnival coinciding with the Super Bowl (Feb. 7, the weekend before Endymion) made for a better debut, with the media spotlight focused on the city. The overall theme of next year’s parade is “Ancient Mysteries,” with floats highlighting “Atlantis: Lost and Found,” “Dracula,” “Easter Island,” “Stonehenge,” and “The Trojan War.” Officials announced that singer Kelly Clarkson will ride as Grand Marshall and perform at the Extravaganza, held inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Feb. 9, just one week after the Super Bowl is played there.. - WWLTV.COM
Krewe of Lyra struggling to boost membership
Organizers of St. Tammany’s newest Mardi Gras krewe are afraid that unless something changes, their krewe will not be able to roll for the 2013 season. For the past two seasons, the ladies of the Krewe of Lyra, have ridden aboard floats through the streets of Mandeville following behind the all-male Krewe of Orpheus. With just more than 100 members, the krewe did not meet the city’s 150-members requirement needed to roll on its own. Captain Mary Grace Knapp said piggybacking on Orpheus allowed them to parade and also helped the Krewe of Orpheus, who she said has suffered a decrease in membership in recent years. However, she said it has been brought to her attention that Orpheus may not have the finances and members needed to roll in 2013, leaving it up to Lyra to come up with the members necessary to roll Knapp said while the city requires 150, in all reality it takes 200 members for the krewe to financially be able to put on a parade and a ball. Not wanting to throw in the towel, Knapp said the Krewe of Lyra is thinking outside of the box for ways to keep the struggling krewe alive. It’s first change is to open its membership up to men. She said the decision was made via a vote of the membership. The vote was not unanimous, but Knapp added, the Krewe of Lyra is a democracy and the majority won out. She hopes the decision to go co-ed will be appealing to couples as well as singles looking to meet other singles on the Northshore. Brett Lowe, captain of the Krewe of Orpheus, said his krewe plans to roll in 2013.“We are excited to say that we sold our floats and will be renting from Ronnie Natal, out of Slidell. They were torn down to the chassis, and rebuilt from the ground up. So we will be riding on brand new floats,” he said. Lowe also added he is disappointed in Lyra’s decision to go co-ed as the two krewes will now be in direct competition for members. “Like most krewes outside of the city, we have had some decline the last few years,” he said. “That has made putting on the type of parade we are accustomed to, very challenging. We are working to put the best possible parade we can on the streets of Mandeville. Membership is the key.”. - THESTTAMMANYNEWS.COM
Krewe of Freret continues push to be added to 2013 parade schedule
Organizers of the new Krewe of Freret are pushing ahead with plans to roll their first parade during the coming Carnival season, remaining optimistic even though a recently-approved 2013 parade calendar does not yet include them. Earlier this month, the City Council approved a resolution endorsing a parade schedule for 2013 that moves the first Carnival weekend a week back to accomodate Superbowl, but the Krewe of Freret isn’t on the parade list. The new krewe’s co-captain, Bobby Hjartsberg, says his group will continue to work with councilmembers in hope of getting a little help. “We’d gotten good verbal support,“ Hjartsberg said. “We intend to begin another push.“ The original goal had been to form on Freret, then roll down Napoleon Avenue to join the traditional St. Charles route, in hopes of generating more traffic and publicity for businesses in the Freret Street corridor. Hjartsberg says his group now just wants to be part of parade and float assembly at the foot of Napoleon, along with other krewes. You can find out more at http://www.KreweOfFreret.org. - UPTOWNMESSENGER.COM
Krewe of Cleopatra moving from West Bank to Uptown route
The Krewe of Cleopatra has announced that after 39 years of parading on the West Bank, it will roll on the traditional Uptown route, beginning with Carnival 2013. The New Orleans City Council voted on Sept. 6 to allow the women’s krewe from the West Bank to move the parade to the traditional New Orleans Uptown route. Cleopatra will roll Jan. 25, with the theme “Cleopatra’s 40 Enchanting Years. ”The public can expect special anniversary throws and other surprises. “This is the perfect year for us to move our parade to the New Orleans Uptown route. It opens up tremendous possibilities for the first weekend of Mardi Gras. We are honored to be a part of that,” Captain Dolores Kepner said. . - NOLA.COM
Krewe of Hera to add secrecy to Lundi Gras lineup in East Jefferson
Lundi Gras in Metairie is poised for a makeover, thanks to a new all-female krewe set to parade before the Krewe of Zeus the night before Fat Tuesday. Little is being shared about the Krewe of Hera, except that it will have "cool elements that Metairie hasn't seen before," said Brian Landry, a spokesman for the Mystic Society of Hera. "They're keeping a lot of stuff secret, but what they're putting together is definitely not your grandmother's version of a Mardi Gras parade." The Krewe of Hera is the first Carnival group to join the Jefferson Parish lineup since Hurricane Katrina and one of only two female krewes slotted to parade in East Jefferson. The other is the Krewe of Isis. Hera will roll on the traditional Veterans Boulevard route beginning at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 11, followed by Zeus at 7 p.m.. - NOLA.COM
Council changes Mardi Gras schedule
The Council passed an ordinance that establishes the 2013 Mardi Gras Parade Schedule to accommodate Super Bowl XLVII which will be held in the Superdome on Sunday February 4, 2013.Super Bowl XLVII will be held on the Sunday of what is normally the first weekend of the City's Carnival parade season. The council says, "To ensure a full complement of New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) and City Department resources to accommodate Super Bowl crowds, krewes that normally parade on the first weekend of carnival will parade the weekend before the Super Bowl. (Friday, January 25 thru Sunday, January 27). The West Bank Krewes of Cleopatra and Choctaw have also agreed to parade that weekend along the St. Charles Avenue route, rather that the organizations normal West Bank parade route.". - WWL.COM
Krewe of Bacchus Members Sue Parade Captains
The Krewe of Bacchus is headed to court, but it doesn't involve celebrity monarchs. After dues were increased by $450 this year on promises to move toward buying a parade den of their own, a group of Krewe of Bacchus members is looking to review the famed Carnival krewe's finances. A group of five Bacchus members sued the superkrewe's leadership recently in an attempt to force the captains to open their financial records, according to court documents. The krewe members argue that under state law, Bacchus - as a domestic corporation in Orleans Parish - must allow for shareholders to inspect their records. The krewe members say they haven't been allowed to look at the financials. - NOLADEFENDER.COM
Dissent in Krewe of Bacchus spills into public eye
Most Carnival krewes operate behind a cloak of secrecy. These private organizations usually keep their business private, especially their financial business. But recent discord within Bacchus is on full public display. A Facebook group called Save the Krewe of Bacchus was launched two weeks ago. "It is eye-opening because it's totally atypical. I don't know of any other example like that,” said Carnival historian Errol Laborde. Laborde said this social media protest provides a rare glimpse into the krewe's finances. A 45 percent increase in membership dues seems to have stirred the dissent. "It's not uncommon to see a faction develop within the krewe, saying, ‘I want to do it myself,’” Laborde said. “But I've never seen this sort of thing over finances and trying to get the information about payments. This is something that's really unusual." Issues raised by the Facebook group include the $138,000 salary of krewe director Owen Brennan III to nearly $100,000 spent for unspecified travel and conventions. The group even makes comparisons with other super krewes, which show no money spent on travel. An emergency meeting of krewe leaders is scheduled for next week. - WWLTV.COM
Krewe of Choctaw to roll on traditional Uptown route in 2013
Super Bowl 2013 certainly will bring many good things to New Orleans, but it is not without its challenges. One of those hurdles is Mardi Gras, and because of the magnitude of the big game, “there will be no parades the weekend of the Super Bowl. Everything is pushed up a week,’’ said Krewe of Choctaw Captain Chuck Favrot. That means that instead of rolling in February, Choctaw’s parade date is pushed to Jan. 26. But that’s the same day the Krewe of Jupiter rolls in Baton Rouge, and Choctaw and Jupiter share floats and themes every year, Favrot said. So, Jupiter will get the floats, made by builder Philip Fricano, and Fricano will rustle up floats from a couple of east bank sources for Choctaw, Favrot said. But because other east bank krewes also will need those floats, there won’t be time to shuttle them back and forth to the West Bank. Therefore, Choctaw will roll Uptown in 2013. - NOLA.COM
Plaquemine gets nighttime parade
The city is planning its first nighttime Mardi Gras parade next year “to offer the same thing other large cities like Baton Rouge and New Orleans have,” organizers said Monday. The event is being organized as a tribute to Iberville Parish native Brenda Comeaux, a Mardi Gras enthusiast who died of cancer several years ago. Her dream was for Plaquemine to have a nighttime parade, family members said. Local businessman Chris Daigle, president of the Krewe of Comogo, recently told parish officials that his krewe’s inaugural parade will have at least 10 floats he hopes will feature several Mardi Gras krewes from the parish. The Krewe of Comogo parade will take place on Feb. 11 and will travel the same route as the parade for the annual KC International Acadian Festival, according to Daigle, who owns Deja Vu Daiquiris & Tobacco in Plaquemine and Daigle Supermarket in White Castle. The inaugural parade will end at the Civic Center, where the krewe will host its gala, Daigle said. - THEADVOCATE.COM
Mardi Gras krewes fined for Jefferson Parish parade violations
Seeking to reverse a perceived decline in quality, Jefferson Parish has cited several Carnival krewes for violating a parade ordinance, mostly for unmasked riders, although one krewe was fined because the king allegedly smoked a marijuana cigarette and another rider tossed vomit-soaked beads to the crowd. Some krewe captains said the crackdown is sapping the fun from the Mardi Gras spectacle and could make it harder to attract and retain members, accelerating any drop-off in parade quality. But a spokesman for the Krewe of Zeus, which was not cited, countered that enforcing the rules simply protects the traditions of Carnival. Lee-Sheng said the parish has turned away new krewes seeking parade permits, yet another reason to ensure the ones who get a coveted permit follow the rules. “I’m surprised about the pushback I’m getting from some krewes,” she said. “They should be the ones fighting the hardest for the traditions of Carnival.” - NOLA.COM
Blaine Kern Sr. wins round in Mardi Gras family feud
Throwing a bitter family feud over the city's Mardi Gras float empire into flux once more, an appellate court panel on Wednesday unanimously overturned a civil judge's injunction that handed the reins of Blaine Kern Artists over to the Carnival mogul's son. The ruling, after a two-week period for possible rehearing, sends the spat between the 84-year-old eccentric and Barry Kern, 49, back to Civil District Judge Kern Reese for a full evidentiary hearing to determine control of the company. That is, unless Barry Kern appeals to the state Supreme Court first. Blaine Kern Artists provides floats for some of the most prominent Carnival organizations, including Rex, Bacchus, Endymion, Orpheus and Muses. Amid the uncertainty surrounding control of the company, several krewes delayed signing contracts or submitting payments, according to court documents. The company's accountant claimed last year that it had "no meaningful cash reserves." - NOLA.COM
Muses Restores Autistic Girl's Faith In Carnival After Abusive Comments
The Krewe of Muses opened its den and members' hearts to restore the faith of an 11-year-old autistic girl who was mistreated by parade-goers last Thursday. Amy Mueller told WDSU her daughter, Emily, was ridiculed by a group of possibly drunken teenagers or young adults as she stood along the parade route. The Muses parade is something Emily looked forward to each year, but after being targeted by abusive comments, she and her mother left and went home. Mueller said her daughter wanted to forget Mardi Gras altogether. The incident became widely known after Mueller posted about it on an Internet blog (READ POST), which went viral across social media. That's when members of the krewe stepped in. Krewe members responded to Mueller's post in the comments, with some saying they wanted to give her daughter special Muses shoes, which the daughter was looking forward to all year. Friday, Emily got a personal tour of the Muses Den and a close-up look at the krewe's floats. The Krewe of the Rolling Elvi and the 610 Stompers attended the event after word spread of Emily's experience. - WDSU.COM
Unknown pranksters stick it to Krewe d'Etat
During the Krewe d'Etat parade Friday, Feb. 17, unidentified people attached a large number of stickers to parade floats and other vehicles in the procession. The stickers are roughly the size of a CD and feature the krewe's emblematic skull with a jester hat being stabbed in the eye with a red high-heeled shoe. There's a pool of blood behind the skull. Krewe members noticed the stickers at the end of the parade, but they were clearly visible on the WDSU TV broadcast during the parade. (The camera is set up at Gallier Hall.) Stickers also were put on the velvet outfit of a riding krewe officer and utility vehicles in the parade. But the prank was more extensive than stickers. The same image was painted in color on the sidewalk in front of the Krewe d'Etat den before the morning of the parade, and it was painted in several places on Uptown streets near where the krewe's parade route begins. A krewe spokesman described it as vandalism, and said the krewe would have to repaint some floats not scheduled to be repainted.The sticker's shoe seems to suggest the Krewe of Muses, and there has been some sort of rivalry between the two krewes in recent years. In a response to an email seeking comment, Muses' captain said she had heard about the stickers but said she didn't know anything else about them. - BESTOFNEWORLEANS.COM
About the Book Never before has the history of the Mardi Gras celebration been looked at this way. Errol Laborde focuses on the first 60 years of the organized celebration in New Orleans, a period that bridges the premiere parade of the Mistick Krewe of Comus and the founding of the Zulu organization. Along the way he discovers fascinating characters; including a poetic journalist who survived a bloody attack, an archduke looking for fun and a would-be king finding religion. Laborde also links an African War with Custer¹s Last Stand and disproves some of the conventional wisdom about Carnival¹s early history. This is the most important contemporary book on early Carnival history. And it fun to read too.
about Errol Laborde Errol Laborde is the Editor-in-Chief of Renaissance Publishing Company. In that capacity he serves as Editor/Associate Publisher of New Orleans Magazine and Editor/ Publisher of Louisiana Life Magazine.He also oversees several other company publications, including St. Charles Avenue and New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles.
Laborde is producer and a regular panelist on Informed Sources, a weekly news discussion program broadcast on public television station WYES-TV, Channel 12.
Laborde's
most recent books are Krewe: The Early Carnival from Comus to Zulu and Marched the Day God. a history of the Rex organization. He also wrote the text for a pictorial book, Mardi Gras- A Celebration and has published two compilations of his Streetcar local color columns, The Buzzard Wore A Tutu and I Never Danced With An Eggplant. BUY THE BOOK
