Krewe of Orpheus

Founded in 1993, the Krewe of Orpheus takes its name from the musically-inclined son of Zeus and Calliope. Founding members included Harry Connick, both the junior and senior.

In New Orleans, the krewe established themselves as a superkrewe with their first parade in 1994, which rolled with 700 riders. They were the first super Krewe to allow both male and female riders.

The Krewe’s throws include a number of popular items including emblem beads, stuffed animals, signature beads, light-up Orpheus medallion beads, cups, three different types of doubloons, and 4-foot-long stuffed dragons.

They have a number of notable floats including the Dolly Trolley, the horse-drawn bus that was used in the opening of Holly Dolly with Barbra Streisand, the Smoking Mary which is a six unit float that looks like a steam locomotive, a Trojan horse and the Orpheus Leviathan Float, which is a three unit, 139-foot float, and the first Carnival float to use extensive fiber optic lighting.

In 2013, Krewe of Orpheus celebrates their 20th Anniversary. Their parade starts at 6 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013. Now consisting of 1,200 male and female riders, the Krewe of Orpheus will roll through Orleans Parish with a number of celebrity riders including Harry Connick Jr, Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews, actor Gary Sinise, actress Mariska Hargitay, and The Imagination Movers, a rock band for kids.