Some might say it’s a man’s world, but not this krewe.
The Krewe of Artemis, Baton Rouge’s only all-female parading krewe, celebrated its 10th annual parade Friday night.
The organization is named after the Greek goddess of childbirth and fertility. Though 2012 marked the 10th anniversary of the parade, the krewe was founded 11 years ago by Joanne Harvey, president and captain.
“I wanted to be able to give something back to the community of Baton Rouge,” Harvey said about creating the krewe.
Harvey said she started the krewe because Baton Rouge lacked traditional Mardi Gras parades with festive floats, tractors and marching bands, just like parades in New Orleans.
The theme of this year’s 17-float parade was “Artemis Honors Heroes and Heroines,” and it featured characters like Uncle Sam, Superman and Pocahontas.
The Krewe of Artemis tossed various new goodies for the 10th anniversary, including glowing wands, glittered Frisbees, stuffed toys in shapes of champagne and perfume bottles and a red stiletto with white polka dots.
Karen Cross, a former member who participated in the parade for nine years, said the krewe also throws more child-oriented items like umbrellas, bracelets, balls and toy swords. She said maternal instinct “kicks in” when she sees children anticipating the throws.
Harvey said preparing for the parade takes nearly a year. The krewe begins putting together the next year’s spectacle only two weeks after throwing its final pair of beads.
After the parade ends, the krewe holds a luncheon, and Harvey surveys her ladies for feedback about that year’s festivities. The krewe also has to submit bead orders to China by October to receive them in time for the next year’s parade, Cross said.
During carnival off-season, the krewe participates in charity work in the community, Harvey said.
“We are an all-ladies organization that parades [and] has many philanthropic activities that we do throughout the year,” she said.
The ladies have worked with the American Cancer Society and participated in the Susan G. Komen Walk for the Cure, Harvey said. This year the krewe collected food for the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank.
Cross said the krewe also visits the Louisiana School for the Deaf weeks prior to the parade, dressed in costume, and has a miniature parade for the children.
Though Cross was only a spectator for this year’s parade, she said everyone should be on a parade float at least once in his or her lifetime. She said the Artemis parade has a mysterious feel to it because it’s held at night and festive lights are all around.
“It’s intoxicating,” she said. “It’s an experience you can’t describe.”
Harvey described the parade as having a family-oriented atmosphere and calls her krewe a family who has seen one another’s lives change throughout the group’s 11 years.
They’ve seen group members pass away, but they’ve also shared joy as krewe members give birth to potential future Artemis members.
“It’s really neat to have met and befriended so many different ladies from so many different walks of life,” she said.
 
____
Contact Ferris McDaniel at [email protected]