Horace J. Boudreaux Sr.
February 6, 2009Jimmy Crochet
February 10, 2009
The Krewe of Apollo will return to its traditional Mardi Gras roots this carnival season with its 45th stroll through the streets of Lockport.
The krewe parades Feb. 21 at noon, and follows its traditional route through town.
Apollo, Lockport’s only riding Carnival club, prides itself on being a family-oriented parade for all ages, said Krewe Captain Monica Bourgeois.
The krewe features 13 floats plus the queen’s, maid’s and krewe captain’s floats. Central Lafourche High and Lockport Middle schools marching bands are joining this year’s festivities, along with several area dance teams.
This year, the special throws are purple, green and gold doubloons.
Unfortunately, the 2008 hurricanes wreaked havoc at Apollo’s Carnival den causing several thousands of dollars in damage.
But the show will go on, Bourgeois said emphatically. Instead of the ornate floats parade-goers have become accustomed to, Apollo’s floats this year are more scaled back, member-decorated offerings.
“We are not doing anything too elaborated this year,” she said. “We are decorating all the floats with the traditional Mardi Gras colors and we will parade through the streets and give the people a good show.”
Tradition has been the cornerstone of the Lockport parade. The organization continues to evolve from its beginning as the Lockport Carnival Club, Bourgeois said.
Apollo stood out over the rest of Lafourche Parish’s parading Carnival clubs in the 1960s because a grand marshal led the parade instead of a king and queen.
“There was no king or queen, only a grand marshal,” Bourgeois explained. “It wasn’t until some years after the krewe had matured that its first king was appointed.”
In 1967, X.J. Chauvin was elected as the krewe’s first nobility. Bourgeois said once a king is selected, it is his responsibility to select a queen. That year, Chauvin chose not to have a queen by his side.
Each year, a new king is selected by draw. In keeping with its initial system, Apollo’s king had the option of naming his own queen. Many of the kings who followed Chauvin also opted not to have a queen.
In 2001, no male krewe member wanted to take the throne, so the club elected its first Carnival queen, club member Florence Bradford. And, just like had been the practice had been for the men, it was Bradford’s responsibility to choose a king.
This year is a repeat of 2001. The krewe selected its fifth queen, Lockport native Eleanor Travirca. She will grace the throne alongside her king and husband, Forrest Travirca.
The club’s only duke this year is James Bradford. The first maid is Christy Legendre. The second maid is Jennifer Larrouse, and the third is Tricia Vicknair.
