Ask any Louisiana native what their favorite time of the year is, and many would respond with Mardi Gras.
Though Mardi Gras did not originate in Louisiana, Louisiana has made the holdiay its own. With the holiday comes culture, king cake, beads, parades and balls.
For a ball, there is a king and queen of each krewe and they work throughout the year to help with planning. Most balls are formal and attendance is invitation only. Women dress in ball gowns and men wear tuxedos.
There are parades all over the state. Shreveport is best known for the Krewe of Centaur and the Krewe of Highland.
The Krewe of Centaur was organized in 1991 and occurs two Saturdays before Fat Tuesday. One main goal of the Krewe is to build a better community. In 2005, the American Bus Association named the Centaur parade one of the Top 100 Events in North America.
The Krewe of Highland Parade is one of Shreveport’s most popular parades, because of its eccentricity and originality. Along with its common parade throws of beads and stuffed animals, the Krewe of Highland also throws hot dogs, moon pies, bananas and Ramen noodles.
However, many major parades and balls occur in New Orleans. Some famous parade include: Krewe of Bacchus, Krewe of Zulu, Krewe du Vieux, Krewe of Muses and a plethora of others.
The Krewe of Bacchus parade originated in 1968 and was founded by New Orleans business leaders. This parade features over 30 floats and has over 1000 members in its krewe. The Krewe of Bacchus parade will roll through St. Charles and Canal Street on Sunday, Feb. 26.
Bacchus was the first krewe to have celebrities as some of their Kings for the parade. Famous Kings include, Bob Hope, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, Harry Connick Jr. and Will Ferrell.
“Bacchus is one of the best parades of the whole season,” textiles, apparel and merchandising sophomore Ysabella Ramirez said. “The Sunday before Mardi Gras is one of the most festive because you start with Thoth in the morning and finish with Bacchus at night, a classic Uptown parade with everyone in the thick of carnival fever.”
Krewe of Zulu is a very well-known and popular parade, which has come to be remembered for its fabulous ball. Tourists come from near and far just to experience the famous Zulu ball. The ball is always the Friday before Fat Tuesday and the Krewe of Zulu parade occurs on Mardi Gras day.
The Krewe of Zulu is also known for its memorable throws, especially their coconuts.
“Zulu is my favorite parade,” biochemistry freshman Kalob Jordan said. “Every year my siblings and I have a coconut competition, whoever catches the most wins. I won last year, I caught seven and my brother only caught four. I’m probably going to beat him again this year.”
Krewe du Vieux is a French Quarter parade that originated in 1987. It is one of the earliest held parades, taking place on the third Saturday before Fat Tuesday.
It is known mostly for its comedic elements, adult content and the showcasing of New Orleans’ best brass bands. It is one of the only parades allowed in the French Quarter other than a couple of small ones held on Fat Tuesday.
“Krewe de Vieux shows New Orleans’ artistic community coming together and gives people the opportunity to see great live music,” architecture sophomore Amanda Sloss said. “It is also one of the first significant parades of the season, which is always exciting.”
The Krewe of Muses is an all-female krewe. Founded in 2000, this parade has become wildly popular and is known for its decorated shoe throw.
This parade is always held the Thursday before Mardi Gras and is loved by most.
“The parade is not only beautiful and exciting, but the social aspect of the event is so much fun,” electrical engineering freshman Darrell White said.
Overall, Mardi Gras parades are a sight to see. Everyone should experience them at least once in their lifetime.

Gallery • 3 Photos

Allie Cobb

The Krewe of Highland, known for its unique throws, rolls through Shreveport's Highland neighborhood on Feb. 7, 2016.