The Original Krewe of Orpheus

"It's like the whole world is starving-and you're the only one with a loaf of bread," is how one member explains riding in Orpheus.

"It's the most fun you can have with your clothes on," is another way the experience is described to new members of Mandeville's Original Krewe of Orpheus. The exhilaration of riding in the parade is a three-to-four-hour thrill that lasts throughout the year.

On a balmy April Fool's evening in 1987, near the shores of Lake Pontchartrain, eleven businessmen gathered to form a new carnival krewe that would bring a first class gentlemen's parade to Mandeville. The ladies' Krewe of Eve had successfully paraded the year before. By February 12, Orpheus had grown to 225 men. They paraded for the first time on the Friday night before Mardi Gras in 1988, with 13 floats and as many local and regional marching bands.

Reaction was overwhelming, both from riders and parade-goers. Riders who had ridden in other parades in New Orleans were amazed that folks here actually said "Thank you!" when tossed beads and other throws. The family orientation of parading in Mandeville was a pleasant departure for many seasoned members used to rowdy crowds and big city hassles. The public and press declared Mandeville's new krewe a great success, and the organization has grown to become the northshore's premier men's carnival organization.

Quality and quantity are stressed in the throws department, with the generous krewe creating their own throws through the years. During an early Board of Directors discussion of throws, Roger Farris opined that it would be cool to have an indigenous krewe throw. Yours truly went home and began development of a pinecone sprayed purple, green, and gold, sprinkled it with gold glitter, and glued a gold doubloon to its base. A Ziploc bag made it safe to toss gently, and voila!-the Pineloon signature throw was born.

Legend has it that those who catch an Orpheus Pineloon and display it in their home will experience good fortune all year long. Today, parade goers hold up signs asking for the special throw. Float members get together in the months preceding the parade and have Pineloon parties, at which some Pineloons actually get created. This year, as during the Gulf War, there will also be Patriot Pineloons created by the members in red, white, and blue. The signature throw has become as popular a collectible as the coconut is to Zulu.

Other exclusive throws are the Orpheus Pinecone beads, Mardi Gras-colored beads with a tiny pinecone affixed. Created by member Henry Beck, it is another prized northshore collectible. (Rumor has it, in fact, that one can use the beads as a down payment for a car on the southshore.)

Orpheus through the years has developed a reputation in the community as a fun-loving year-round organization that gives a lot back to charities and worthy causes in west St. Tammany. The group's weekly bingo games enabled Orpheus to contribute tens of thousands of dollars to local charities through the years. The advent of video poker and the proliferation of casinos lured players away, so krewe members/workers reverted to enjoying their Saturday nights in other ways. Though bingo is no more, the krewe still manages to support numerous community causes.

In 1993, Harry Connick, Jr. and his D.A. father of the same name decided to form a superkrewe in New Orleans with our same name. This infringement caused quite an uproar, since we had paraded for six years as the Krewe of Orpheus. The Connicks claimed ignorance of our existence, and said that stationery had already been printed and solicitation letters had already been sent. Float builder Blaine Kern said he tried to talk them out of using our name, to no avail. Jr. had his mind made up. Kern's son Barry said that many krewes in the area had the same names.

Their perception was that the northshore was far away. Our perception was that the southshore was too darn close, and it was plagiarism, pure and simple. The name flap was treated in the krewe's typically lighthearted, satirical manner, however, with the next parade entitled, "What's in a Name?"

The krewe has enjoyed numerous parties and celebrations throughout the years, including family picnics, family bowling parties, family throws ordering and pickup parties, Halloween costume dance parties, Orpheus day at the races, the royal revelation celebration, the coronation celebration, float parties, Pineloon parties, the $10,000 survivor challenge, and what has now become one of the finest charitable golf tournaments in the area.

Current Captain John Lawrence predicts the krewe will roll February 8 with more members and a more spectacular parade extravaganza than ever before.

The official call-and-response of the hearty krewe is: Hail, Orpheus! Hail, yes!