Monday, February 2, 2015
The Royal Gala in Lake Charles,
LA
by Glenn Kaufmann
by Glenn Kaufmann
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.
Photo by www.monsoursphotography.net |
Photo by www.monsoursphotography.net |
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.
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