A krewe (pronounced "crew") is a social organization that puts on a

parade A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, float (parade), floats, or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually ce ...

or ball for the

Carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...

season. The term is best known for its association with

Mardi Gras Mardi Gras (, ) refers to events of the Carnival celebration, beginning on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany (Three Kings Day) and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday, which is known as Shrove Tuesday. is French for "Fat ...

celebrations in

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

, but is also used in other Carnival celebrations around the

Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...

, such as the

Gasparilla Pirate Festival The Gasparilla Pirate Festival is a large parade and a host of related community events held in Tampa, Florida almost every year since 1904. The theme of the festivities is a friendly invasion by the mythical pirate José Gaspar (also known as Gasp ...

Tampa, Florida Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and ...

Springtime Tallahassee Springtime Tallahassee is an annual event held on either the last Saturday in March or the first Saturday in April in Tallahassee, Florida, United States celebrating Tallahassee's history and culture. History Springtime Tallahassee began in 196 ...

, and Krewe of Amalee in DeLand, Fl with the Mardi Gras on Mainstreet Parade as well as in

La Crosse, Wisconsin La Crosse is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of La Crosse County. Positioned alongside the Mississippi River, La Crosse is the largest city on Wisconsin's western border. La Crosse's population as of the 2020 census w ...

and at the

Saint Paul Winter Carnival The Saint Paul Winter Carnival is an annual festival in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. History In 1885, a New York reporter wrote that Saint Paul was, "another Siberia, unfit for human habitation" in winter. Offended by this attack on th ...

. The word is thought to have been coined in the early 19th century by an organization calling themselves Ye

Mistick Krewe of Comus The Mistick Krewe of Comus, founded in 1856, is a New Orleans, Louisiana, Carnival Krewe. It is the oldest continuous organization of New Orleans Mardi Gras festivities. Before Comus was organized, Carnival celebrations in New Orleans were mostly ...

, as an archaic affectation; with time it became the most common term for a New Orleans Carnival organization. The Mistick Krewe of Comus itself was inspired by the Cowbellion de Rakin Society that dated from 1830, a

mystic society A mystic society is a Mardi Gras social organization in Mobile, Alabama, that presents parades and/or balls for the enjoyment of its members, guests, and the public. The New Orleans Krewe is patterned after Mobile's Mystics."Carnival/Mobile Mardi ...

that organizes annual parades in

Mobile, Alabama Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population within the city limits was 187,041 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, down from 195,111 at the 2010 United States census, 2010 cens ...

. (List of events.)

Membership

Krewe members are assessed fees in order to pay for the parade or ball. Fees can range from thousands of dollars a year per person for the most elaborate parades to as little as $20 a year for smaller

clubs Club may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Club'' (magazine) * Club, a ''Yie Ar Kung-Fu'' character * Clubs (suit), a suit of playing cards * Club music * "Club", by Kelsea Ballerini from the album ''kelsea'' Brands and enterprises ...

. Criteria for krewe membership varies similarly, ranging from exclusive organizations largely limited to relatives of previous members to other organizations open to anyone able to pay the membership fee. Krewes with low membership fees may also require members to work to help build and decorate the

parade floats A float is a decorated platform, either built on a vehicle like a truck or towed behind one, which is a component of many festive parades, such as those of Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, the Carnival in São Paulo, the Carnival of Viareggio, the M ...

and make their own costumes; higher priced krewes hire professionals to do this work. Parading krewe members are usually responsible for buying their own

throws Throwing is an action which consists in accelerating a projectile and then releasing it so that it follows a ballistic trajectory, usually with the aim of impacting a remote target. This action is best characterized for animals with prehensile l ...

such as beads and coins, which are thrown to parade spectators according to tradition. Some krewes also have other events, such as private dances or parties, for members throughout the year. Some also make a point of supporting charities and good causes. Some krewes restrict their membership to one sex, while others allow co-ed membership. For example, the

Krewe of Endymion The Krewe of Endymion is a New Orleans Mardi Gras super krewe and social organization. History and formation The Krewe of Endymion is one of only three Super Krewes (using floats and celebrity Grand Marshals), and is the largest of the parad ...

from New Orleans and

Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla The Gasparilla Pirate Festival is a large parade and a host of related community events held in Tampa, Florida almost every year since 1904. The theme of the festivities is a friendly invasion by the mythical pirate José Gaspar (also known as Gasp ...

from Tampa are currently restricted to men only. Examples of female-only krewes include the New Orleans'

Krewe of Cleopatra The Krewe of Cleopatra is a New Orleans Mardi Gras Super Krewes and social organization. History and formation The Krewe of Cleopatra is one of the few Super Krewes with only female members (with over 1,800 members and one of the largest para ...

and

Krewe of Muses The Krewe of Muses is an all-female super krewe and social organization. History and formation The Muses were founded in 2000 by Staci Rosenberg and first paraded during Mardi Gras in 2001. Since then the krewe has grown to include approximatel ...

and Tampa's Krewe of Venus.

Old line

The first Krewes to parade during Mardi Gras are referred to as "old line krewes". These include the Mistick Krewe, the

Krewe of Proteus The Krewe of Proteus is a New Orleans Carnival Krewe, founded in 1882, the oldest continuous parading Old Line Krewe. History and formation The Krewe of Proteus is the longest riding Old Line Night Parade Krewe in New Orleans Carnival after the ...

, Rex,

Twelfth Night Revelers The Twelfth Night Revelers, founded in 1870, is a New Orleans, Louisiana, Carnival Krewe. It is the second oldest continuous organization of New Orleans Carnival festivities. History and Formation In 1870 Sidney Smith, the son of a Striker f ...

, and the

Knights of Momus The Knights of Momus ("KoM") was founded in 1872 and was the second-oldest parading Old Line Krewe in the New Orleans Carnival after the Mistick Krewe, and is the third oldest krewe to continuously present a tableau ball, after the Twelfth Night ...

Super krewe

While there is no official definition for "super Krewe", it is generally accepted that a super krewe possesses over 1000 active dues paying members and maintains at least 500 riders for its parade each carnival.

References

{{Mardi Gras in New Orleans Mardi Gras in New Orleans Carnivals Clubs and societies in the United States

Membership

Old line

Super krewe

See also

References