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The first 'modern-day' Mardi Gras parade, begun in 1857 by the Mistick Krewe of Comus, featured masked riders, floats, throws, flambeaux carriers and the theme 'Paradise Lost.'
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Photo by Photo from New Orleans: An Illustrated History
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Hey Blake,
How did Mardi Gras balls and courts get started?
G.C.
Dear G.C.,
There were Carnival-style balls held in New Orleans as early as 1743 with the arrival of the Grand Marquis de Vaudreuil. As governor of Louisiana, he brought splendor, refinement and elegant entertainment to the struggling province.
Since the early days of colonial Louisiana, Creole society had celebrated Twelfth Night -- Jan. 6 -- with bals de roi. Given at homes and plantations for family and friends, these balls featured a king cake with a bean in it. The finder of the bean would reign over the next ball, thus beginning a series of balls that continued until Mardi Gras.
The first public ballroom -- La Salle Conde -- opened in 1792, and within 50 years, the city boasted more than 80 places where one could dance. The elite had exclusive balls, but there were many public balls as well. During Carnival season, masked balls were a regular feature of the Mardi Gras celebration.
By the time of the Louisiana Purchase, Carnival balls and parties were very common. For a while, street masking and most balls were prohibited, although the ban was generally ignored until the balls were made legal again in 1823.
Mardi Gras as we know it began when the Mistick Krewe of Comus made its debut in 1857. It was this secret organization that coined the word "krewe," first chose a mythological namesake to present a themed parade with floats, and followed their street parade with a tableau ball.
In 1870, a new krewe -- the Twelfth Night Revelers -- paraded, and the next year they introduced the grand march at their masked ball. This ball also began the tradition of selecting a queen. Of course, they used the king cake with a hidden gold bean.
Then came the visit of the Russian Grand Duke Alexis Romanoff in February 1872 and the first Rex parade. The first Rex Ball was held the next year, and Mrs. Walker Fearn was chosen from ladies in attendance to be the first Queen of Carnival. At the ball of 1876, Rex selected for the first time three young ladies to serve as maids for his royal consort, and in 1881, dukes were designated as escorts for the maids in the Carnival court.
Hey Blake,
I remember one year in the late 1970s when the NOPD went on strike, and the only Mardi Gras was in Metairie. What sad little year was this?
Eve
Dear Eve,
The "sad" little year you remember was 1979. Some of us remember the other times Carnival was cancelled or severely limited. The Civil War put a real damper on Mardi Gras, World War I stopped the fun in 1918-1919, there was no Carnival celebration during the years 1942-1945 while World War II raged, and activities were limited in 1951 during the Korean War.
Carnival of 1979 was cancelled in New Orleans when the Teamster-affiliated union called a strike, and about 1,000 of the city's 1,500 police officers walked off the job. The officers were asking for better pay and benefits, and City Hall was not cooperating.
Now staging Mardi Gras parades without police protection is not a wise move, so 13 krewes cancelled their parades altogether, and 12 others moved their parades to Metairie, Chalmette, Gretna and Kenner.
When Fat Tuesday rolled around on Feb. 27, it rolled without Zulu, Rex or Comus. But some thought it was one of the best Carnivals in memory. The weather was perfect, and the locals practically had the city to ourselves. Word of the strike had spread, and many tourists stayed home.
Of course, we weren't left entirely unprotected. The National Guard was called out and state troopers as well. The mood was carefree, and the strike gave local officers a chance to join in the fun. There was a "Krewe of Police" that formed on the picket line in back of police headquarters. They tossed beads caught from others' parades and pretend doubloons in the form of bottle caps. Special krewe favors were onions and dog biscuits.
