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Photo by www.monsoursphotography.net |
From elaborate headpieces, to flowing gowns, crowns, and scepters, Mardi Gras krewes outfit their royal courts in the best and brightest royal regalia. And, if the Royal Gala is any indication, nobody takes Mardi Gras costumes more seriously than the people of Lake Charles, in southwestern Louisiana, where more than 60 krewes (parading organizations) show off their Mardi Gras finery on the night before Mardi Gras day.
Each year, the Mardi Gras krewes of Southwest Louisiana put on a colossal costume pageant that is open to the public, providing many with their only opportunity to see these grand creations. Often, the royal regalia (costumes) are only worn at private (krewe and guest only) balls and functions. As a result, the Royal Gala (the exception to the rule) is not so much a competition as it is a community celebration, and a chance to show off the year’s designs and handiwork.
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Photo by www.monsoursphotography.net |
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Photo by www.monsoursphotography.net |
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Photo by www.monsoursphotography.net |
Up Close and Personal at the Lake Charles
Mardi Gras Museum
Mardi Gras Museum
While the Royal Gala is an ideal introduction to the costumes, headpieces, and royal accoutrements of the Mardi Gras krewes, spectators at the event can only get so close to the finery. But, just a few miles away at the Mardi Gras Museum of Imperial Calcasieu, anyone with a few dollars to spare can see hundreds of costumes from years gone by, and learn a great deal about the design process in the bargain.
Glenn Kaufmann is the editor and publisher of All About Mardi Gras, a website that covers Mardi Gras across the united States.