Downtown Baton Rouge celebrated the Mardi Gras season this weekend with its Krewe of Artemis on Friday and the Krewe Mystique de la Capitale and Krewe of Orion on Saturday.
The Krewe Mystique de la Capitale, the oldest parading krewe in Baton Rouge, celebrated 34 years of parading downtown while the Krewe of Orion celebrated its 12th year. In addition, David Faustino, an actor famous for his role in “Married… with Children,” was the grand marshal at the Krewe Mystique.
Cheryl Bourg, the 2011 Queen of Artemis and pharmacist at the University’s Student Health Center, said she has been involved in the Krewe of Artemis since its birth 10 years ago.
Bourg said she was excited to be given the title of Queen of Artemis this year.
“It’s a huge honor,” she said. “I had wanted to be queen years ago, but it just didn’t work out.”
The founder and captain of the krewe, Joanne Harvey, grew up in the New Orleans area and wanted the parade to be similar to a traditional New Orleans parade where the krewes were generally all men or all women. In this case, the Krewe of Artemis is an all-female parade, Bourg said.
“Mardi Gras is for all people,” Bourg said. “As long as it’s good, clean fun, it’s all just a party in my opinion.”
The Krewe of Artemis continues to be the first and only all-female krewe in Baton Rouge. This year, the krewe included 17 New Orleans-style floats, three of which are “mega-floats” with 45 riders, Bourg said.
The krewe was also accompanied by 16 marching bands, including Port Allen and Walker high schools, and 15 entertainment groups, including the Roller Derby Girls, a Marine Corps Hummer and a Coast Guard boat, Bourg said.
“The Roller Derby Girls are very sweet and a hoot to be around,” Bourg said. “The Marines are also great to work with.”
Jeremy London, an actor who has appeared in “Party of Five,” “7th Heaven” and “Mallrats,” was the grand marshal at Friday’s parade, Bourg said.
“We were very excited to have Jeremy as our grand marshal, and it’s always great to have a star come out from Hollywood and join in the fun,” Bourg said.
  Gallery: Baton Rouge Mardi Gras
 
Krewe members who contacted his agents said London was excited and ready to free his schedule to participate in the parade, Bourg said.
She said she doesn’t find Baton Rouge parades are different from parades elsewhere in the state.
“All krewes have their own distinct and unique flavor,” Bourg said. “Some are more traditional while others are very unique. It just depends.”
Candice Myers, sociology graduate student, said she loves the Krewe of Artemis.
“I came to this exact parade last year,” Myers said. “It’s just a great parade.”
Josh Minyard, Myers’ boyfriend, said he enjoys Baton Rouge parades because of their proximity to his home.
“Most Baton Rouge parades are more family orientated,” Minyard said. “The day parades in New Orleans are pretty similar, but all the good stuff happens at night parades in the city.”
Walker resident Monica Miceliand and her daughter Jessica said they’ve been to parades in Metairie and Lafayette in addition to Baton Rouge.
“You don’t really see much alcohol,” Miceliand said about Baton Rouge parades. “I think they’re safer, and you don’t have to worry as much.”
Naicheng “Jason” Gu, accounting graduate student, said the Krewe of Artemis was his first Mardi Gras parade, and he was excited to see the procession unfold.
 
 
____
Contact Kate Mabry at [email protected]