2013 Parade
2013 Parade
2013 Parade
2013 Parade
Welcome to the 2013 parade of the Krewe of Muses
It was 13 years ago that this dynamic your women’s organization paraded for the first time and ushered in a new era of Carnival!
Named for the nine daughters of Zeus and the goddesses who inspire the arts & sciences, as well as for the nine streets of New Orleans, the Krewe of Muses strives to inspire the City of New Orleans.
We extend a special welcome to Emily Mueller and her mother Amy. Last year Amy Mueller’s heart-wrenching blog entitled “Lit Up Like A Parade” hit the internet on Ash Wednesday telling the story of her daughter’s experience being bullied during the Muses parade. It inspired an impromptu event that quickly became known as Emily Gras. Over a hundred Muses came together at the den on the Friday morning after Mardi Gras with an hour’s notice and were joined by 610 Stompers, Rolling Elvi, Pussy Footers, Roller Girls, and other marching troops – all set out to make up for the bad experience and show Emily what Mardi Gras is really about.
The Muses would like to thank Emily and Amy because while Emily Gras came together as an effort to restore Emily’s faith in Mardi Gras, it actually restored the Krewe’s faith in the entire Mardi Gras community. Have a wonderful Mardi Gras Emily!
Each year the Krewe of Muses conducts a contest for the design of the annual cup. The cup winner of 2013 is Pedro Richard. His school, which receives $1,000 for its art department as a result of his win, is O. Perry Walker and his art teacher is Dixie Moore. Pedro is originally from Haiti. Thank you for your wonderful design which will be seen by tens of thousands of lucky folks on the route who catch a Muses cup!
This year the krewe parades with over 1000 riding members! 27 floats and over 27 marching bands and unique troops.
The finale of tonight’s parade will be the inaugural ride of the new Sirens float, the newest signature float of this incredible krewe.
Keep your eye out from some amazing new innovative Muses throws. The krewe has become known for raising the bar and this year is no difference…watch out for: the bead catching net, reMuseable grocery bags and wearable flasks, magnetic grocery lists, light up hearts and strobe theme beads, footballs, Muses lanyards and shoe laces, rhinestone bracelets, plush produce, light up hair, ray guns and diamond rings, shoe beads and flashlights!
The ball is coming down the street…and the parade is under way!
- Band – St Augustine High School
- Marching Unit – Walking Shoes and Butterflies
Float 1 – The Muses Officers
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Band – Xavier Prep High School Marching Band
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Marching Unit – Molly Marines
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Flambeaux
Float 1a - Honorary Muse – Ruby Bridges
The Honorary Muse recognition project honors women who have proven themselves as role models to the women and girls of New Orleans and Ruby Bridges is undeniably an inspiring Muse.
On November 14, 1960, surrounded by armed US marshals, six-year-old Ruby Bridges integrated William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans. Norman Rockwell’s painting depicted that day and remains a quintessential image of the Civil Rights Movement. In 2001 President Clinton presented Ruby Bridges Hall with the Presidential Citizens Medal. In 1999, Ruby published her own award-winning memoir, Through My Eyes.
As a lecturer, Ruby brings her message to children and adults nationwide. She established the Ruby Bridges Foundation to promote the values of tolerance, respect and appreciation of all differences through educational programs.
Among its annual philanthropic activities, the Krewe of Muses annually contributes to a cause that is related to the Honoree’s field of interest. This year a $5000 grant will be presented to the Ruby Bridges Foundation.
Congratulations to Honorary Muse Ruby Bridges!
- Band – O. P. Walker High School Marching Band
Float 1b - The Mount Olympus Brass Band – Cool Bone
- Band – Edna Karr High School Marching Band
Float 2 - The Bathing Muses
Well the bathtub filled with bubbling Bathing Muses can only mean that we are about to learn the theme of the 2013 Krewe of Muses parade…
- Band – George Washington Carver Sr. High
Float 3 – Title Float – Makin’ Groceries Muses Style
Call your Mamma and ‘dem and make your list because it is time for…Makin’ Groceries Muses Style…this year it’s in the bag
- Horse Unit – Lady Godiva Riding Club
- Band – Joseph S. Clark High School
Float 4 – Canned Goods
The first float was called canned goods and the prop was a Times-Picayune can. The Times-Picayune is the local paper and the Newhouse family had just announced it was going to 3 days a week and let go of over 50% of the staff. The entire city was devastated. Post Katrina we all became a very well-informed city. And the newspaper was very important to us. It was actually one of the best-read papers in the country so this news blew everybody's minds. On the side of the float, we put famous Amos cold cuts featuring the publisher Jim Amos and under it said ‘it's pure baloney.’
What’s canned? Well, that must be the staff of our formerly beloved Times-Picayune! Canned writers, canned delivery men, canned photographers…these are Times-Picayune canned good…and a special ad for Famous Amoss Cold Cuts…that’s pure baloney!
- Band – McMain Senior High School Marching Band
Float 5 – City Council Produce
City Council Produce – well that was an exaggeration…. because they didn’t produce much. We had some sour grapes, some bad apples, and some roughage. Not a lot of sweet corn and those trying ‘squash’ the ways of the past.
Well, everyone in New Orleans needs dat produce! The prop shows our Holy Trinity…on the sides we see some others being produced at Council Chambers including sour grapes, bruised peaches, bad apples, sweet corn and a Head of cabbage!
- Band – West Jefferson High School
Float 6 – The Whine Department
We all love the Whine department – Wah wah wah…some seem to love it more than others – including those Muses who cry “those men arebeing mean to us!” Other whinners say “…aww they put a bounty on us. “ aww “dam women are taking over the world” aww “I can’t read these bubbles” and aww “someone put labels on us” Wah wah wah – that’s the Whine Department.
Ahhh we all love that Whine! Wah wah wah…some seem to love it more than others…aww “they put a bounty on us” aww “damn women are taking over the world,” aww “I can’t read these bubbles,” and aww “someone put labels on us!”
Wah wah wah! That’s the Whine Department!
- Band – Sophie Wright
Float 7 – The Cheese Department
And what goes great with Whine? Cheese…this float celebrates the slew of television shows inspired by our unique city…from Bad Girls New Orleans to KVille – the mother of all cheese…and gumbo parties.
- Band – Lake Area High School
Float 8 – Bounty
Clean up on Aisle 44….it’s a special product in our Muses Grocery store…Bounty…
- Band – Walter L. Cohen High School
Float 9 – The Bread Aisle
2012 was the season for spending some bread and this bread is oozing with political humor…we have GOP White bread with extra dough…Obama multi grain, Newts Moon Pies, some Paul Rye and a few packs of Boehner House Rolls…
- Band – Sarah T. Reed High School
Float 10 – Mr. Clean and the Magic Eraser
Yes, it’s out own beloved Mayor Mitch Landrieu wearing a gold earring and sporting a tight white Tshirt…he’s Mr. Clean and he has got his magic erasers as he attempts to clean up New Orleans!
- Band – L B Landry High School
Float 11 – The Bakery
Well, the Muses grocery store has a different king of Bakery in it…and I don’t think that prop is for baking cookies!
- Band – Martin Berhman Middle
Float 12 – Dairy
Here come the cows…It’s the Dairy Department…or should we say the Just Daried Department. Celebrating gay marriage and corporate opinion!
As these loving same-sex cows say…Throw More Rice!
- Band – Martin Luther King Charter School
Float 13 – Entergy Drinks
What do you get when you mix Entergy with Energy drinks? Well let’s just say after Hurricane Isaac we learned…Drink one of these Entergy drinks and five days later you get power!
It is the Entergy Drinks aisle!
- Marching Unit – High Steppers and ISL Circus Arts Kids
- Band – Kipp Renaissance
Float 14 – Containers, Wraps and Foils
Oh Containers Wraps and Foils…all the scandals we hoped were locked away!. General Petreus broke through his four-star seal! And Lance Armstrong foiled us for long enough. Even Elmo isn’t tickled by these scandals!
- Band – Ninth Ward Marching Band
Float 15 – Fresh Meat
Well, that Muses signature prop shadow is back and this year it’s for the ladies holding some USDA fresh meat! This float offers up a selection of fresh hot sausage, T boners and some choice round!
- Marching Unit – Rolling Elvi
Float 16 – Buy Local
Oh, our old pal C. Ray Nagin is back again! And this year he is asking you to Buy Local! He is pushing some other local products for sale…aside form marble. We have Zats-Our-Man Jamaliar, Whobigs Pay Offs, Tony Stash-a-ways and Blue Runner form the Feds! Even his pal Aaron Broussard is joining him suggesting you Buy Local!
- Marching Unit – Pussyfooters
Float 17 – The Paltry Department
Governor Bobby Jindal is working in the Paltry Department! Forget about Poultry…this paltry celebrates the lack of bird feed going toward education and healthcare in Louisiana…but we see a big plump bird called Big Business and yes…don’t forget a 30% sales tax!
- Marching Unit – Camel Toe Lady Steppers & Brass Band
Float 18 – The UnHealthfood Aisle
Who needs healthfood? Muses introduces the first ever Deep-Fried Float for the Unhealthfood Aisle. And to wash that down we have a great big Bloomberg Big gulp! Yum!
- Marching Unit – 610 Stompers
Float 19 – Serial Dating Aisle
The ladies are shopping for the perfect man on the Serial dating Aisle! You may be looking for the TOTAL package but watch out for Gray Nuts, All Man, Porn Flakes, Cheaties, Tearios and Fruit Loops! Because you don’t want those in your basket at checkout.
- Marching Unit – NOLA Cherry Bombs
Float 20 – International Food Aisle
Now we enter the crumbling aisle of International Food – going bad fast! Beware of the dangerous Chinese crawfish and crumbling Greek economy…and of course some Old No Paso coming out of Mexico!
- Band – Bearded Oysters
Float 21 – Secret Snacks Aisle
The Secret Service is in the store…not clearing the way for the President but doing a little shopping of their own for Twinkies and Hoho’s…These Sugar Daddies may just be all day suckers!
- Band – Noisition Coalition
Float 22 – Feminist Products Aisle
We know the guys are a little afraid of the feminine products aisle…so you had better watch out for the feminist Product aisles! Buy your Axe pick-up-line repellant and some Chef Girl Ar Dee! Top off your pancakes with Ms. Butterworthy! Oh, such good stuff!
- Marching Unit – Dead Rock Stars
Float 23 – Expired Goods
It has been said by some that perhaps the Muses use some of the same jokes a few too many times! Not any more…these are Expired Goods!
So, there is a clearance sale on Gold Diggers and Immigration and Divorce. Say goodbye to Bill Jefferson and Harry Lee and Al Copeland (yet again!) Enough of Botox and Drag Queens and drunk frat boys and tourists! Even Evil Boyfriends got expired this year.
And on the back catch that famous Honey Boo Boo…her fame clock is ticking down fast! Can’t wait for that 15 minutes to be up!
- Band – Mo’lasses
Float 24 – The Check Out Aisle
It’s always hard to say goodbye to those who have Checked Out….And no one did it like Uncle Lionel! The Check Out Aisle pays tribute to those who checked out in the past year…even a few who made it Self Check Out.
And on the back the Muses honor a real life Muse – Helen Gurley Brown whose Muses tombstone reads…”Good girls go to heaven…bad girls go Everywhere!”
- Band – Pink Slip Float
Float 25 – Sirens
The Muses proudly introduce the inaugural ride of the newest signature float of the Krewe of Muses parade…Sirens. Designed by local artists…this new Sirens float sees the luring creatures of Greek mythology collide with the Louisiana swamps!
On the new float, they’ve transplanted the sirens to the swamps of Louisiana and added some edgy touches. This float is like no other ever seen before. Note the signature Muses material – GLITTER, which was painstakingly applied by Muses members.
The original design for the float was done by Amanda Cassingham Bardwell.
Happy Mardi Gras and
Happy are they whom the Muses love!