What is a Krewe

" Committed to making the Mardi Gras Industry........Viable as well as fun! "

Basic 101 Part II: What is a Krewe!

In New Orleans, we must have heard every conceivable, incompetent reason, some really off the wall, put forth, as to what constitutes a krewe. No wonder so many people don't understand what a krewe is and how this protocol came about. So! Let's explain where and how, the concept originated, and break it down so everyone can understand the rules of what constitutes a krewe.

In 1856, the modern age of carnival was about to began, out of the "Age of the Creole Carnival". Men from the city of Mobile, Alabama which had arrived earlier to the city of New Orleans, decided they would organize a secret society to reorganize and re-energize the festival of carnival, in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana.

It stands to reason, that whom ever had the original concept of of any invention, or idea, knew what they had in mind when they executed the idea. I'm not going to quiver on this, nor am I going to entertain any difference of opinion, here either. I went to ask the gentlemen that started it all and this is what they have told me. Therefore, this is tradition as laid down by the originators of the concept. This makes any other definition wrong!

In 1856, those gentlemen formed that society and named it Comus. They formed the society, at that time, as a krewe. The organization at that time established a specific set of rules, and set down these rules to accomplish the goals of the organization. The way it was explained to me, left the impression, that there were actually two sides to the society. One side was for public consumption while the other side is what's to be kept secret. The person I talked with said the following to me and gave me permission to say this much about the secret side. The secret side of the society had nothing to do with Carnival, never has, never will. Case closed! The only reason that the club keeps the world out of it's business is the membership roster. Some, I should say nearly all, wish to keep their names from public view simply because of who they are and how the press would treat them, which would take public attention away from the club. It's understandable!

They want people to enjoy the floats, political satire, laugh and make fun of local and national government! Could you imagine what the press would say of any congressional representative, governor, or city official, who makes light of our problems? They would use it against them, say nothing of the reps opponent. So you see the reasoning is valid!

The Carnival side is nearly wide open, IF.........you don't reveal who is a member, and keep the other side, completely separate! With that, came the rules of the Carnival side..... If the rules were followed, then any organization that followed them would have to meet the same criteria, in order to qualify and take on the mantle of the name Krewe.

Those rules were;

(a) The organization must hold a parade which incorporates a theme.

(b) The organization's parade must utilizes floats and/or bands ( bands came later).

(c) The organization must have the celebration of Carnival as it's main purpose.

(d) holds a themed ball, after the parade or before the parade

Technically, If the organization or group, fails to do, any one of the above; then they are said, not to be a Krewe. They are rather said to be a Carnival organization, club or group. Examples of non-krewe clubs and org's are, Second Line clubs, the Mardi Gras Indians, Marching clubs, other various other groups.

There are no exceptions, to this rule. Yes! Comus, Momus, are now organizations, not Krewes, as is the Original Illinois Club, and any group that does not parade, becomes an organization the day they stop parading.