The Krewe of Gabriel has been the pivotal
force in making the Lafayette area Mardi Gras what it is today,
the finest, most fun filled and family oriented Mardi Gras
celebration in the South. The Krewe of Gabriel was formed in
1949 by many of Lafayette's leading businessmen. The purpose of
the Krewe was to assist the Greater Southwest Louisiana Mardi
Gras Association in improving and expanding Mardi Gras.
Krewe members, now into their third
generation, have always served as members of the Executive
Committee of the Association.
Traditionally, King Gabriel, the King of
Carnival, is selected from the membership of the Krewe. Queen
Evangeline, a young woman of college age, is a daughter of a
Krewe member.
On Mardi Gras Day, the King's Parade is
composed primarily of large and colorful floats owned by the
Krewe and manned by several hundred of its members. Float riders
throw a countless number of beads, trinkets, and other
memorabilia to more than 250,000 excited revelers.
When one speaks of the finest traditions of
Mardi Gras, one speaks of the work of the Krewe of Gabriel.
