Remembering Blaine Kern, Sr

Photo by Kern Studios

Blaine Kern Sr., ‘Mr. Mardi Gras’ impresario of a New Orleans float-building empire, has died

Blaine Kern, Sr., the flamboyant New Orleans float builder and visionary who, as “Mr. Mardi Gras,” propelled the modernization and expansion of Carnival, has died, according to his wife. He was 93. Kern ushered in the era of the superkrewes and pioneered such parade razzle-dazzle as giant props, double-decker and multi-unit floats, splashy lighting and on-board animatronics. Kern Studios, which he founded, crafts more than a dozen prominent parades, including Endymion, Muses, Bacchus, Orpheus, Iris, Zulu, Hermes and Tucks. For nearly 70 years, through 2019, the company also created the Rex Organization’s floats.

Read More:

The above excerpt is from an article written by Keith Spera and provided with permission from nola.com. To read the complete article on Blaine Kern, Sr., please visit nola.com