Several New Orleans neighborhoods have seen tremendous transformations over the past year. From physical facelifts to new neighbors, it seems every day brings a new business or new event to spaces that remained vacant for years. Uptown pockets in particular are attracting more arts and culture activity beyond the typical new restaurant or foodie pop-up. And this week, members of the “new” Freret Street neighborhood roll up St. Charles Avenue in the Krewe of Freret during Saturday’s uptown parades.
Jason Williams and Ary Dotiwala, the King and Queen of the Krewe of Freret 2014.
Technically, the Krewe of Freret (KOF) is not new. Founded in the early 1950s, this Mardi Gras krewe was headquartered, according to the new KOF website, at the then-captain Nash Barreca’s family restaurant, Frank’s Steakhouse. The restaurant served as the krewe’s den, but its Mardi Gras floats departed from the rear of the Loyola University Field House and rolled up Freret Street to Napoleon Avenue. It is therefore fitting that the rebirth of the neighborhood-based krewe in 2011 was led by a small group of Loyola grads passionate about the community so fond to them.
Though many krewes take up quarters in a particular neighborhood of town, most memberships are through shared themes, social circles, socio-economic groups or familial lineage. In the case of the Krewe of Freret, new krewe co-founder and Loyola grad Greg Rhoades says “the [current krewe members] group is a nice mixture of young, old, natives, transplants, male and female. One couple owns car dealerships, some don’t even have cars. One rider is a top attorney in the city, others are…hiring attorneys. Realtors, school teachers, NASA employees, engineers, retirees, students. Freret is a great melting pot that’s for everyone, just like Mardi Gras should be.” In fact, Rhoades adds, KOF was (re)born out of the desire by many of he and his friends and colleagues to participate creatively in Mardi Gras but not have to spend thousands of dollars a year just to ride, like you do for say, Rex or Bacchus.
The Krewe of Freret started organizing, fundraising, recruiting and participating as a group in 2011, and even hosted a Mardi Gras ball their first year. However, 2014 will mark the first year that KOF rolls on an “official” Mardi Gras parade route after finally reaching their base level membership and funding goals. This year will also be the first time the krewe has paraded in almost 20 years, the former Krewe of Freret having rolled for the last time in the mid-90s.
On Saturday, February 22 at 2:30 p.m., the Krewe of Freret will line-up on Napoleon Avenue behind the Choctaw Krewe and led by Grand Marshall Dancing Man 504 (a/k/a Darryl Young) and the “Stampede of Sound” (the Eleanor McMain Secondary School Marching Band), the newly formed uptown krewe will take the big uptown parade route.
Handmade masks will be among the signature throws at the Krewe of Freret parade on Feb. 22.
The KOF will have five bands, seven marching groups, and 14 floats in tow this year — quite an impressive first-year run. Appropriately, the Krewe of Freret 2014 Mardi Gras theme is “There’s a First Time for Everything.” In addition to the Lagniappe Brass Band and the McMain Secondary School’s marching band, the St. Charles Avenue Streetcar Band and the KIPP New Orleans Leadership Academy Band will also provide the heartbeat of the KOF stroll up St. Charles Ave.
The Dames de Perlage will parade in hand-made French beadwork costumes while the new KOF sub-krewe, the El Lucha Krewe, bring their own flavor as masked Mexican wrestlers. The Benjamin Franklin Secondary School color guard and dance team, along with the Loyola University dance and cheer teams, will put the dip in your hips.
DJ Jermaine Quiz — one half of the 2013 Best of the Beat “Best Hip-Hop Artist” duo, Jealous Monk — is set to spin atop the chief KOF float, providing groovy dance tunes for all. John Shirley of the Cardinal Sons band and local festival production group, HUKA Entertainment (Buku Fest, Hangout Fest), are also riding Krewe of Freret members this year. Staff from local eateries Boucherie, Commander’s Palace, Besh Restaurant Group, Bayou Rum and the new DinnerLab project are participating as well. Additionally, the KOF is providing the opportunity for the youth of the Son of a Saint charity program to march this Mardi Gras in their parade.
But let’s cut to the chase: just what type of throws are you going to get from Krewe of Freret? The answer from Rhoades is one of local pride. He promises that the KOF 2014 throws include locally-made signature throws – mardi gras masks – that are handcrafted. They will also toss more than 50,000 doubloons and “offer parade-goers the chance to instantly become a part of Mardi Gras by catching and wearing once of their hand-made signature mask throws.” Not only that, but the KOF is tech-savvy too. Parade-goers are encouraged to post their own mobile photos of their Krewe of Freret experience using the hashtag #BeMardiGras on Twitter and Instagram, or simply follow the fun with krewe members’ pics by looking up the hashtag on social media for a glimpse of “inside Freret.”
The krewe also invites everyone to the official Krewe of Freret Mardi Gras parade afterparty Saturday night (February 22) back on their stomping grounds at the Freret Street Publiq House (4528 Freret Street) from 7 p.m. until 2 a.m. The party features live sets from Dumpstaphunk, Madd Wikkid’s Brassft Punk and more. Tickets are $15 general admission, or $75 VIP with open bar and access to the KOF member lounge backstage. Food truck action will happen just outside, and limited KOF signature throws and merch will be available for sale.
For more information, parade route, downloadable mobile apps, or to join the Krewe of Freret: www.kreweoffreret.org
