Doubloons
Aluminum coins presenting the krewe symbols on its
face and the theme of the year on its back. They were
introduced for the first time in 1960 by Rex, "King of
Carnival".
Every year there are different versions of them, in
various colors and even metals, which are collected
and can be of quite a value !
Krewes
Krewes are the masking and parading clubs for which New Orleans is both famous and infamous. Several of
these are described below.
Babylon - Started by a New Orleans dentist, Frank Oser, in 1939, it remains one of the 10 oldest parading
krewes in the city. Its membership is made up largely of physicians.
The "flambeaux" are a Babylon custom (see picture). These burning "torches" - really tubes filled with chemicals
that produce a brilliant, sometimes colored, light - are traditionally carried by African Americans who march
alongside the floats. The image of the torch was inspired by the slave ritual of Bois Caiman, performed on
August14, 1791, at the beginning of the Haitian War of Independence. After a fiery parade, the slaves swore
allegiance to their priest leaders. (When the war ended in 1804, Haiti emerged as the second country in the
Western hemisphere to gain its independence, and the first free black nation.)
Barkus - In 1993, a new krewe was founded with membership limited to dogs and headquartered in the
vicinity of the "Flea Market". Krewe of Barkus rules include this warning, "Cats, while welcome, will not be
provided with security;" as well as , "No dogs may be 'in season' and owners are responsible for their own dog's
scoop." This annual French Quarter event is open to the public and is a benefit for local animal shelters and
national humane societies.
Carrollton - A krewe founded in 1924 by an Oak Street businessman as a neighborhood parade.
Comus - From the Greek komos, meaning revelers. They are the oldest parading krewe, having originally
been called "The Mystick Krewe of Comus". In 1856, six men (all Protestant, white Americans) who had moved to
New Orleans from Mobile, Alabama, met at Dr. Pope's drugstore to discuss introducing their brand of Carnival to
the city (parades had begun in Mobile a few years earlier). They formed a secret society along with 13 New
Orleanians and mounted a tableau ball for 3,000 at the Gaity Theatre. Their first parade included two floats lighted
by flambeaux.
In keeping with the early Masonic traditions of secrecy, the members of Comus never reveal the name of their
king. Comus members are the most discriminatory of the old-liners, and up until a generation ago, they wouldn't
even admit Catholics to their ranks.
In protests to the city council's anti-discrimination ordinance, some members of Comus have replaced their
Carnival night parade with a procession from Antoine's restaurant to their ball at the Municipal Auditorium. The
revelers ring cowbells in honor of the group that inspired them, the Cowbellion de Rankin Society of Mobile,
Alabama.
Iris - A ladies-only krewe formed in 1917, this group held its first parade in 1959, and today has over 500
members. They parade during the day on the Saturday before Mardi Gras.
Mid City - Carnival's eighth oldest parade was formed in 1930 by a group of Mid City merchants. This krewe
introduced animated floats in 1947.
Momus - Chartered soon after Rex in 1872, the group was named after the god of mockery. Their motto is
"Dum vivimus, vivamus" ("While we live, let us live"). Members come from the ranks of the all-white Louisiana
Club.
Okeanos - A krewe founded in 1949 by a group of Ninth Ward businessmen who wanted to bring Carnival to
St. Claude Avenue, Carnival's original parade route.
Original Illinois Club - One of three old-line black krewes that presents debutantes, the Original Illinois
Club was formed by several Creole-of-color community leaders in 1894. The "Chicago Glide" is the dance unique
to this club. Though the club has less than 50 members, they mount an elaborate ball for over 700 guests.
Phunny Phorty Phellows - This group of costumed men and women celebrates the official opening of
Carnival season by riding a decorated streetcar along St. Charles Avenue. The group eats king cake as they toss
throws to the spectators and serenade them with a jazz band. The name comes from a nineteenth-century krewe.
Proteus - Taking its name from the ocean shepherd of Poseidon's seals, Proteus presented its first
procession in 1882. One of the more stingy krewes in their parading days, they have now halted parading
altogether due to MCS 14984, the ordinance that denies parade permits to discriminatory groups.
Rex - The main event parade of Mardi Gras Day. The King of Rex is the King of Carnival. He is always a civic
and business leader, and generally a member of the old-line Boston Club (an old, conservative, Christian club).
The krewe itself has the most liberal admittance policy of all the old-line groups, as they are a shade more
interested in professional stature than in pedigree.
When Frank Howard became Rex's King of Carnival in 1895, he ended up married to his queen, Lydia Fairchild,
and it got tongues to wagging. Nowadays kings are old enough to be the grandfathers of queens. A feature of
Rex parades is the boeuf gras, the fatted beef, bull, or ox that symbolizes the last meat eaten before the
beginning of Lent. Rex calls the Queen of the Carnival and the Maids of the Rex Court the "Carnival Court". No
other organization is entitled to use this designation.
The charter name for the Rex organization is "The School of Design," the same group that presented the first
daytime parade in the city in 1872. All Rex objects bear the motto, "Pro Bono Publico" ("For the good of the
public").
Thoth - (Say "Toe-th"). This parading krewe was formed in 1947 to bring Mardi Gras to institutions for
children and adults with disabilities.
Tucks - In 1969, two Loyola University students created a rag-tag parading krewe and named it for their
favorite local hang-out, Friar Tuck's. Today the krewe maintains its Animal House reputation.
Zeus - The krewe that began the Metairie parade tradition in 1956.
Zulu - The Zulu Aid and Pleasure Club was founded in 1909, held its first parade in 1914, was incorporated in
1916, hosted its first celebrity monarch when Louis Armstrong became their king in 1949, and remains the most
permeable of the old krewes. It has just under 400 members. Zulu is the only krewe in which the king gets to
choose his own queen. During parade time, any friend of a member can pay a fee and ride in the parade.
What is a Krewe?
krewe (pronounced crew) – noun: Any of several groups whose members organize and participate as costumed
participants in the parades and balls during Mardi Gras.
New Orleans Krewes
Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club
Krewe of Saturn
Krewe of Muses
Krewe of Bacchus
Krewe of Mid-City
Krewe of Rex
Krewe of Endymion
Krewe of Ponchartrain
Krewe of Tucks
Krewe of Orpheus
Krewe of Elvis (Marching Club)
Krewe of Pegasus
Krewe of Morpheus
Krewe d’etat
Krewe du Vieux
Krewe du Boo (Marching Club)
Krewe of Shangri-la
Knights of Sparta
Krewe of Barkus
Krewe of King Arthur
Ducks of Dixieland (Marching Club)
Phunny Phorty Phellows
Krewe of Oshun
Krewe of Pygmalion
Outside New Orleans
Metairie Krewes
Krewe of Mercury
Krewe of Zeus
Elks of Jefferson Parish
Krewe of Jefferson
Krewe of Hercules
Krewe of Isis
Krewe of Thor
Krewe of Little Rascals
Krewe of Cleopatra
Krewe of Aladdin
Krewe of Rhea
Krewe of Aquila
Corps of Napoleon
Krewe of Atlas
Krewe of Centurions
Krewe of Triton
Krewe of Alla
Krewe of Argus
Krewe of Caesar
Krewe of Excalibur
Westbank Krewes
Krewe of Carrollton
Ancient Druids
Knights of Babylon
Krewe of Chaos
Krewe of Hermes
Krewe of Iris
Krewe of Thoth
Krewe of Okeanos
Krewe of La Cage aux Folles
Lords of Leather
Krewe of Proteus
Elks of New Orleans
Crescent City
Krewe of Armenius
Krewe of Grela
Elks of Gretna
Krewe of Poseidon
Krewe of Ulysses
Mystic Knights of Adonis
Krewe of NOMTOC
Northshore Krewes
Krewe of Lions
Krewe of Folsom
Krewe of Tchefuncte
Krewe of Bush
Krewe of Eve
Krewe of Olympia
Original Krewe of Orpheus
Other Krewes
Krewe of Skunks (Lacombe)
Krewe of Chahta-Ima (Lacombe)
Krewe of Slidellians (Slidell)
Millenium Krewe (Slidell)
Krewe of Selene (Slidell)
Krewe of MCCA (Bogalusa)
Krewe of Dionysus (Slidell)
Krewe of Aphrodite (St. Bernard)
Krewe of Bilge (Slidell)
Mystik Krewe of Perseus (Slidell)
Gladiators (St. Bernard)
Orleans Parish Krewes
Krewe of ALLA
Krewe of Amon Ra
Krewe of Armeinius
Krewe of Babylon
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Bacchus
Bards
Barkus
Camelot
Carrollton
Cleopatra
D'ETAT
Druids
Elvis
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
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Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Endymion
Hermes
Iris
King Arthur
Lords of Leather
C.H.O.A.S.
Mid - City
Morpheus
Muses
Mwindo
N.O.M.T.O.C.
Okeanos
Orpheus
Oshun
Pegasus
Phunny Phorty Phellows
Proteus
Petronius
Rex
Saturn
Satyricon
Sparta
Thoth
Tucks
Zulu
Elks Orleans (Truck Krewe)
Crescent City (Truck Krewe)
Jefferson Parish Krewes
Krewe of Adonis
Krewe of ALLA
Krewe of Atlas
Krewe of Aquila
Krewe of Argus
Krewe of Caesar
Krewe of Centurions
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Krewe of
Diana
Excalibur
Grela
Isis
Lil Rascals
Mercury
Napoleon
Rhea
Thor
Zeus
CLEOPATRA
ALADDIN
North Shore Krewes
Krewe of the Bilge
Krewe of Claude
Krewe of Dionysus
Krewe of Eve
Krewe of Flora
Krewe of the Millennium
Krewe of Mona Lisa-Moon Pie
Krewe of Olympia
Krewe of Slidellians
Krewe of Tchefuncte
Krewe of Troy
Mystic Krewe of Perseus
Original Krewe of Orpheus