'Tis Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras, and there's still a few hours left (on the East Coast, at least) to get your vices on before the ritual fasting begins tomorrow! I've dug up this purple number from the Captain's vault that commemorates the twentieth anniversary of the founding of the Krewe of Bacchus. On that fateful Sunday early in 1968, the Krewe of Bacchus broke with Carnival tradition and staged a night parade with bigger animated super-floats than anything previously seen in Carnival history. Now that's a celebration worth celebrating!
With more than 1,000 members and 31 of those spectacular floats, the Krewe of Bacchus reigns Carnival. The parade draws a crowd of several hundred thousand spectators each year! It certainly doesn't hurt that, since 1969, King Bacchus, the Roman god of wine, has been portrayed by some pretty incredible celebrities, including Bob Hope, Dom DeLuise, Charlton Heston, William Shatner and Dick Clark. Here's some of my more recent favorites ...
Will Ferrell (2012)
Clockwise from top left: Hulk Hogan (2008), Val Kilmer (2009), Nic Cage (2002), Larry King (2001)
James Gandolfini (2007) *sigh*
John C. Riley (2015)
Now, GO! REVEL! And, if you have a moment, check out these other sweet vintage New Orleans t-shirts in the shop...
(source: blog.privateislandparty.com, wikipedia.org, mardigrasneworleans.com/, kreweofbacchus.org/)