Le Krewe d'Etat

Le Krewe d'Etat is a satirical New Orleans Mardi Gras krewe.

Le Krewe d'Etat
AbbreviationKDE
MottoVivite ut Vehatis. Vehite ut Vevatis
Formation1998 (1998)
TypeAll Male Carnival Krewe
Location
  • Uptown, New Orleans, LA.
Membership
450

History and formation

Krewe d'Etat's first inaugural parade was in 1998. Prior to organizing their own parade, a member of the krewe known simply as Unknown Spokesman said the group had covertly infiltrated Pegasus with some floats of their own.[1] The krewe has historically paraded on the Friday prior to Fat Tuesday, immediately following Hermes. The parade route originally started at Magazine and Napoleon but now follows the traditional route that starts at Jefferson and Magazine, heading downtown to Magazine and Napoleon, then towards the lake on Napoleon to St. Charles, then heading downtown towards Lee Circle, around Lee Circle, and finally onto Canal Street. The procession includes traditional floats, Lieutenants on horseback, and flambeaux carriers. In 2013, d'Etat had 23 floats and roughly 450 riders.[2]

d'Etat's motto is "Vivite ut Vehatis. Vehite ut Vevatis," which roughly translates to "Live to Ride, Ride to Live."[3]

Membership

Membership is open, but the Krewe has elected to keep the organization small.[1]

Parade

Krewe d'Etat parades on Vendredi Gras after Krewe of Hermes on the Uptown route. The Skeleton Walking Krewe hands out the D'Etat Gazette (Carnival Bulletin) leading the parade which provides an overview of the floats.

Le Krewe d'Etat utilize flambeaux to light the parade route.

Krewe d'Etat is notable for being the first Mardi Gras parade to throw blinking beads.

Parade themes

The Krewe decides a new theme for their parade annually ("raison d'etre"), and it, just like The Dictator's identity, remains confidential. The parade floats are intended to lampoon current events, politicians, socialites, business moguls, etc.

  • 2021 No Parade (due to COVID-19 pandemic)
  • 2020 The Dic Goes To Mardi Gras
  • 2019 Paging Dr. d'Etat
  • 2018 DicMA
  • 2017 Zoo d'Etat
  • 2016 The Dictator Plays Games
  • 2015 Frid'Etat the 13th
  • 2014 D.U.I.
  • 2013 The Dictator's Reading Room
  • 2012 d'Etat Tells It Like It Is
  • 2011 Le Krewe D'Etat's Wide Woild of Sports
  • 2010 d'Etat's Inferno
  • 2009 The Dictator Does Broadway
  • 2008 Le Krewe d'Etat's Dirty Dishes
  • 2007 KDTV in Dictavision
  • 2006 d'Olympics d'Etat
  • 2005 Tarot d'Etat
  • 2004 Malice in Wonderland
  • 2003 Tales Told by Idiots
  • 2002 Rock Around d'Etat
  • 2001 d'Etat.com
  • 2000 Cinema d'Etat
  • 1999 Dictator's Circus
  • 1998 Looziana Scandals and Scoundrels

Dictology

Le Krewe d'Etat eschews monarchy in favor of a figurehead known simply as "The Dictator" whose identity is held secret. The Dictator's "court" includes the Kingfish, the Special Man, the Minister of Misinformation, the Keeper of the Bones and the High Priest.[1] Throughout history there have been many notable dictators.

Like most dictators, The Dictator came to power during a time of crisis. The people were looking for a savior, a knight in shining armor to rescue the kingdom of carnival from death and despair. Mardi Gras had fallen into the hands of hucksters and marketeers aiming to make a buck; more interested in the selling of Mardi Gras than the celebrating of Mardi Gras. Things had been forgotten that shouldn't have been; things faded from memories of days long ago and could no longer be remembered. The light that illuminated carnival for over a century had grown dim. The public ached for change and had none. The situation was dire, indeed.

In a classic coup d'etat, The Dictator and his legion of irreverent revelers seized control of Mardi Gras and forever changed it. Pulling carnival from the doldrums and out of the greedy hands of the low minded, The Dictator set the stage for Le Krewe d'Etat to ascend to its rightful place in Mardi Gras lore.

References
  1. McCulley, R. You say you want a revolution?. Kingfish. January 2002.
  2. Le Krewe d'Etat Archived 2006-05-21 at Archive.today. From: mardigrasunmasked.com. Retrieved October 20, 2007.
  3. Le Krewe d'Etat's Website. From: lekrewedetat.com. Retrieved October 20, 2007.
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