C ARNIVAL ON THE RIVER BY MISTY MILIOTO
Mardi Gras celebrations extend beyond New Orleans thanks to local Krewes in the River Parishes.
W
hen you think of Mardi Gras, you might imagine the packed streets of the New Orleans French Quarter, but this pre-Lenten celebration has a rich history across South Louisiana, with varying traditions and cultures between parishes. In fact, the River Region has established its own set of unique Carnival customs and homegrown Krewes, each with its own history and local impact on the community. KREWE OF LUL Celebrating its 45th anniversary this year in St. Charles Parish, the Krewe of Lul first started parading through the streets of Luling in 1978 with a focus on family fun. “Whether watching along the route or riding on a f loat, it is a day of fun and merriment for families and friends to gather and spend time together cooking, eating, drinking and having a good time,” says Debbie Dufresne Vial, captain with the Krewe of Lul. As a much-anticipated event for the parish, the return of the parade this year represented a touch of normalcy after a hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s an event that everyone looks forward to annually,” Dufresne Vial says. “The Hahnville High School band, cheerleaders, dance team, and
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SPRING 2022 | PORT OF SOUTH LOUISIANA
Krewe of Dagé
ROTC members participate, and their families cheer for them along the parade route. St. Charles Hospital does a peanut butter collection along the route, where locals can donate peanut butter, thereby providing a much-needed resource for the local food pantry at Social Concerns. Additionally, the ARC of St. Charles has the final truck in the parade lineup. Parade-goers can throw their beads back for the ARC to sort through and package for sale.” Historically, the Krewe of Lul has given back to the local St. Charles Parish community via donations to the Hahnville High School band. Last year, even when the parade was cancelled due to the pandemic, the Krewe still contributed to Social
Concerns so they could purchase peanut butter for the food bank. In addition to the Hahnville High School band, cheerleaders, dance team, and ROTC members, the 2022 Krewe of Lul parade featured 21 f loats; other dance teams; Luling, Killona and Paradis fire trucks; local festival queens; local officials (such as Sheriff Greg Champagne and Parish President Matt Jewell); and a horse-riding club for a total of 61 units. Traditionally, the royalty of the parade throw commemorative items and some of the f loats also dole out novelty items associated with their decorative theme. The 2022 parade King and Queen, Russell and Angell Diggs, threw magnets and second-line handkerchiefs.
