Krewe du Vieux

Born of the remains of the Krewe of Clones, which began parading in 1978, Krewe du Vieux marched for the first time in 1987. When the Krewe of Clones decided to become more respectable, Craig "Spoons" Johnson and Don Marshall decided to keep the parade's original raucous, art-inspired spirit alive in the Krewe du Vieux Carre (“Vieux Carre," which means "Old Square," refers to the French Quarter).

At first, the ragtag krewe had 16 subkrewes, and a collection of mule-drawn or hand-pulled handmade floats. But by 2001, KdV had its first title float, and its membership was growing. The numerous subkrewes meet in the "Den of Muses," a warehouse space, to bring together their costumes and floats. In 2006, KdV was the first parade to march post-Katrina, and garnered national attention for its tenacity and lightheartedness in the face of tragedy. That year's theme was "C'est Levee."

Krewe du Vieux is noted for wild satire, adult themes, and political comedy, as well as for showcasing some of the best brass and jazz bands in New Orleans.