Mardi Gras de la Louisiane

Krewe of Twelfth Night

The Krewe of Twelfth Night On February 23, 1990, eight ladies gathered for lunch to look into the possibility of forming a ladies' Mardi Gras Krewe. These eight became the first board and the Krewe was incorporated in 1990.

The express purpose of the Krewe was to promote, foster and afford opportunities for the celebration of Mardi Gras, the first being an annual ball, the other activities as they became available. It was decided that this Krewe would be a group to have FUN. What kind of group could be wild and free???? The idea of being Gypsies was born. Because the gypsies were known to travel about, this would allow the Krewe to visit several countries, therefore allowing a change of theme and decorations every year.

The name was taken from the Twelfth Night Revelers, a Krewe credited with launching the Mardi Gras women's liberation movement. According to history, in 1871 the Twelfth Night Revelers had the names of its female guests printed in the newspaper. Until that time it was considered undignified for a lady's name to appear in print. The twelfth night is actually January 6th, but the Krewe decided to have its celebration on January 12th or the Saturday nearest to the 12th - the second Saturday of the new year. We became THE KREWE OF TWELFTH NIGHT and we kick off the Mardi Gras Season!

A Krewe member, who is a local artist, was asked to design our logo. It has a gypsy woman at a campfire, with a sliver of a moon and 12 stars overhead. Hot Pink is our official color. Each member has a Krewe flag which we fly at our homes and a medallion with our logo that we wear. Our costumes were made by a costume company in New Orleans. Since that first year we have a local seamstress making our replacement and theme costumes.

We are a 100-member Krewe and honor a MAN by naming him KING OF THE GYPSIES. His identity is kept secret until the night of the ball.

Gypsies find him in the audience, bring him to the center of the dance floor where the Gypsies surround him while he is dressed in his costume. He is crowned and escorted to the Gypsy Wagon - his throne - where he reigns for the evening. The wagon is a very old one. Krewe members and their husbands built and decorated a "cabin" onto the wagon and it looks like an authentic Gypsy wagon.

We have just had our seventh ball and have traveled to China, Egypt, Mexico and England over the years. A short skit, with members dressed in costumes from the country we visit, takes place just before the King is named. Decorations and props are made for each of the countries visited.

KINGS OF THE GYPSIES:

1991 - King Henry I - Henry Ernest Blake
1992 - King Franklin II - Franklin Haas Mikell
1993 - King Richard III - Richard Balcom Crowell
1994 - King James IV - James Graham Hair
1995 - King LeDoux V - LeDoux Roger Provosty, Jr
1996 - King Robert VI - Robert Edward Ball, Jr
1997 - King Foster VII - W. Foster Walker III
1998 - King Vincent VIII - Vincent Vincent III
1999 - King Frank IX - Frank Marion Ingrish
2000 - King Cark X - Arthur Carl Ahrens
2001 - King Babson XI - Chester Babson Fresh
2002 - King Jim XII - James Graves Theus
2003 - King Gene XIII - Eugene Francis Noel
2004 - King Robert XIV - Robert Theodore Ratcliff
2005 - King Richard XV - Richard Lee Landry
2006 - King Tommy XVI - Thomas Clarence Mcbride
2007 - King XVII - William Boyd Owen
2008 - King XVIII - Harris Lindsey Torbet
2010 - King XIX - Robert John Freedman

Our Membrship Is Now 120 Members.