It’s Conival Time!

Edwin Edwards leads the way at Spanish Town Mardi Gras parade

Time change for Spanish Town parade

The time of the parade has been moved from noon to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18 in downtown Baton Rouge.

Spanish Town

The krewes of irreverence are back and ready to roll in downtown Baton Rouge.

It’s time for the Spanish Town Mardi Gras Parade, which over the past several decades has assumed an iconic place among Baton Rouge locals during this time of year.

The cheeky and saucy themes of the 80 floats, which parade organizers term as krewes, all combine to welcome former Gov. Edwin Edwards, who’s leading the motley procession this year. This year’s theme: It’s Conival Time!

This is a parade of anti-conformist statements, zaniness and irreverent humor that has taken hold. It parodies Louisiana life, mocks society, and pokes fun at politicians - an amalgam of humorous impudence that seems to work every year, Spanish Town parade organizer Bruce Childers said.

“I can’t think of anyone that this parade is not geared toward,” said Childers, who is stepping down this year after 25 years as president of the Mystic Krewe Society for the Preservation of Lagniappe in Louisiana.

“Our krewes are all just about having fun. Sometimes the decorations have angered people, but those instances are very rare. Nobody is inciting anyone to do anything other than enjoy the humor of it all,” Childers said.

So far as the individual float themes, it’s left up to the imagination.

And the chemistry blends effectively with the Spanish Town Parade’s over-arching irreverent, and often impertinent, humor.

Since its inaugural run in 1981, the Spanish Town parade has remained a non-commercial function. “The purpose of the parade serves to raise money for local charities, but we also do not want it to become commercial. It’s become a unique citywide tailgate,” Childers said.

The Spanish Town Parade remains very inclusive and relatively inexpensive to participate in, although its organization has been compelled to turn away new applications - 40 this year alone - “for no other reason than we just don’t have the room to take on everyone,” Childers said.

This year’s parade will roll at 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, from its traditional starting point at Spanish Town Road and Fifth Street. The procession snakes down North, Fourth, Florida, Seventh and Lafayette streets before terminating at Spanish Town Road and Third Street. The change in time is due to the possibility of severe weather, according to Baton Rouge Police.

Childers added that part of the fun is giving the five-judge panel full discretion “to make up categories” as the parade pageantry unfurls, noting that the most coveted award has become ‘The Worst Float Award.”

And as for the added color of attracting the colorful former governor to serve as this year’s grand marshal, Childers said, “He’s (Edwards) been a very good sport about it. He knows what this parade is all about. It’s all in fun, and he knows this.”

FRIDAY, FEB. 17

Baton Rouge

--Krewe of Southdowns: 7 p.m., Southdowns neighborhood. http://www.southdowns.org.

Church Point

--Courir de Mardi Gras: day-long festivities, http://www.churchpointmardigras.com.

Hammond

--Krewe of Omega: 6:30 p.m., from Southeastern Louisiana University. http://www.kreweofomega.org.

Houma

--Krewe of Aphrodite: 6:30 p.m., Westside route. http://www.houmatourism.com.

Lafayette

--Lafayette Friday Night Parade: 6:30 p.m.

Lake Charles

--Merchants Parade: 7 p.m.

Mandeville

--Krewe of Orpheus: 7 p.m. http://www.originalorpheus.com.

--Krewe of Lyra: 7 p.m. http://www.kreweoflyra.com.

Metairie

--Krewe of Centurions: 7 p.m. http://www.kreweofcenturions.com.

Morgan City

--Krewe of Adonis: 7 p.m., Brasher/Federal Avenue to the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium. http://www.cajuncoast.com.

New Orleans

--Knights of Hermes: 6 p.m., Uptown. http://www.semrehclub.org.

--Le Krewe D’etat: 6:30 p.m., Uptown. http://www.lekrewdetat.com.

--Krewe of Morpheus: 7 p.m., Uptown. http://www.kreweofmorpheus.com.

Slidell

--Krewe of Selene: 6:30 p.m. http://www.kreweofselene.net.

SATURDAY, FEB. 18

Baldwin

--Baldwin Mardi Gras Parade: 11 a.m., La. 182 (Main Street) ending at Community Center. http://www.cajuncoast.com.

Bayou Vista

--Krewe of Dionysus: 2 p.m., Delmar Avenue disbanding on Belleview Drive.

Bush

--Krewe of Bush: 9 a.m.

Church Point

--Courir de Mardi Gras: http://www.churchpointmardigras.com.

Golden Meadow

--Krewe of Atlantis: 1 p.m. http://www.visitlafourche.com.

Houma

--Krewe of Mardi Gras: 6:30 p.m., Eastside route. http://www.houmatourism.com.

Jennings

--Mardi Gras Festival & Parade: 10:30 a.m., with activities beginning in Founders Park, Main Street. Food, live music, parade at 4:30 p.m. on North Main Street. [phone] or http://www.cityofjennings.com.

Lafayette

--Children’s Mardi Gras Parade: 12:30 p.m., from library to Bertrand/Cajun Field. http://www.gomardigras.com.

--Krewe of Bonaparte Parade: 6:30 p.m., from Surrey/Jefferson to Bertrand/Cajun Field.

Lake Charles

--Krewe of Omega: 2 p.m., downtown. http://www.swlamardigras.com.

Larose

--Le Krewe Du Bon Temps: 6 p.m. http://www.visitlafourche.com.

Lockport

--Krewe of Apollo: noon. http://www.visitlafourche.com.

Maringouin

--Krewe of Maringouin 25th Anniversary Parade: Refreshments and live entertainment, 9 a.m.; parade, 2 p.m., on Landry Street. [phone].

Metairie

--Krewe of Isis: 6:30 p.m. http://www.jeffparish.net.

New Orleans

--NOMTOC: 10:45 a.m., Westbank. http://www.nomtoc.org.

--Krewe of Iris: 11 a.m., Uptown. http://www.kreweofiris.org.

--Krewe of Tucks: noon, Uptown. http://www.kreweoftucks.com.

--Krewe of Endymion: 4:15 p.m., Mid-City. http://www.endymion.org.

St. Martinville

--La Grande Boucherie des Cajuns: 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Magnolia Park. http://www.stmartinville.org.

--Lake Fausse Mardi Gras Parade: 2 p.m., Lake Fausse Pointe State Park, 5400 Levee Road. [phone]. http://www.iberiatravel.com.

Slidell

--Krewe of Salt Bayou: 2 p.m.

Youngsville

--Youngsville Mardi Gras Parade: 11 a.m.

SUNDAY, FEB. 19

Church Point

--Courir de Mardi Gras: http://www.churchpointmardigras.com.

Des Allemands

--Krewe of Des Allemands: 1 p.m. http://www.stcharlesparish-la.gov.

Eunice

--Children’s Mardi Gras Run: 9 a.m., Eunice Recreational Complex (Sittig Road).

--‘LiL’ Mardi Gras Run: 3 p.m., truck and trailer parade. South on 2nd Street to Park Avenue.

Golden Meadow

--Krewe of Nereids: 6 p.m. http://www.visitlafourche.com.

Grand Isle

--Grand Isle Independent: 5:30 p.m.

Houma

--Krewe of Terreanians: 12:30 p.m., Westside route. http://www.houmatourism.com.

--Krewe of Montegut: 2 p.m., children’s parade. http://www.houmatourism.com.

Lake Charles

--Children’s Parade: 3 p.m. http://www.swlamardigras.com.

--Lighted boat parade: 7 p.m., on the Lake Charles.

LaPlace

--Krewe Du Monde: noon.

Livonia

--Livonia Carnival Association Parade: 1 p.m., La. 77. http://www.pctourism.org.

Metairie

--Corps de Napoleon: 5:30 p.m. http://www.napoleonparade.com.

Morgan City

--Krewe of Galatea: 2 p.m., 2nd Street, ending on Myrtle Street. http://www.cajuncoast.com.

New Orleans

--Krewe of Okeanos: 11 a.m., Uptown. http://www.kreweofokeanos.org.

--Krewe of Mid-City: 11:45 a.m., Uptown. http://www.kreweofmidcity.com.

--Krewe of Thoth: noon, Uptown. http://www.thothkrewe.com.

--Krewe of Bacchus: 5:15 p.m., Uptown. http://www.kreweofbacchus.com.

Port Allen

--Krewe of Good Friends of the Oaks: 1 p.m., begins at South Jefferson and Oaks avenues, ends on North Jefferson Avenue.

St. Martinville

--Newcomer’s Mardi Gras Parade: 1 p.m., Main Street. http://www.stmartinville.org.

Thibodaux

--Krewe of Cleophas: 12:30 p.m. http://www.visitlafourche.com.

--Krewe of Chronos: 2 p.m. http://www.visitlafourche.com.

MONDAY-TUESDAY, FEB. 20-21

Crowley

--Carnival d’Acadie: Two days of live music, street dancing, festival foods, parade. http://www.crowley-la.com. Parade is at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21, downtown. http://www.crowley-la.com.

MONDAY, FEB. 20

Batchelor

--Second Annual Lundi Gras Parade: 11 a.m. http://www.pctourism.org.

Houma

--Krewe of Cleopatra: 6:30 p.m., Westside route. http://www.houmatourism.com.

Lafayette

--Queen’s Evangeline Parade: 6 p.m.

Metairie

--Krewe of Zeus: 6:30 p.m. http://www.kreweofzeus.org.

New Orleans

--Krewe of Proteus: 5:15 p.m., Uptown.

--Krewe of Orpheus: 6 p.m., Uptown. http://www.kreweoforpheus.net.

Patterson

--Krewe of Amani: 2 p.m., Patterson High School/La. 182, ending at Norman Shopping Center. http://www.cajuncoast.com.

TUESDAY, FEB. 21

Baton Rouge

--Beauregard Town Walking Parade: noon, through historic Beauregard Town, ending at unofficial open to the public party with food and beverages. Parade includes bicycles, pedestrians and pedal-powered “floats.”

Chackbay

--Krewe of Choupic: 2 p.m. http://www.visitlafourche.com.

Covington

--Mystic Krewe of Covington: 10 a.m., Bogue Falaya Shopping Center.

Eunice

--Courir de Mardi Gras 2012: Costumed horseback parade, 8 a.m.

--Truck Parade: 2:45 p.m.

Franklin

--All-Krewes Parade: 1 p.m., Franklin Senior High School, ending on Third Street. http://www.cajuncoast.com.

Galliano

--Krewe of Neptune: noon. http://www.visitlafourche.com.

Gheens

--Krewe of Gheens: 11 a.m. http://www.visitlafourche.com.

Houma

--Krewe of Houmas: 11 a.m., Westside route. http://www.houmatourism.com.

--Krewe of Kajuns: follows Krewe of Houmas route. http://www.houmatourism.com.

--Krewe of Bonne Terre: 4 p.m., Montegut. http://www.houmatourism.com.

Jeanerette

--Grand Marais Mardi Gras Parade: 11 a.m., U.S. 90 East at College Road. http://www.iberiatravel.com.

Kaplan

--Krewe Chic-a-la-pie: 2 p.m., downtown.

Lafayette

--King Gabriel’s Parade: 10 a.m.

--Lafayette Mardi Gras Festival Parade: 1 p.m.

--Independent Parade: 2 p.m.

Lake Charles

--Motorcycles, Classics & Hot Rods Parade: 1 p.m., downtown. [phone]

--Krewe of Krewes Parade: 5:30 p.m., rolls from Lake Charles Civic Center, Broad Street.

Loreauville

--Family Affair Mardi Gras Parade: 2 p.m., Main Street. http://www.iberiatrave.com.

Mamou

--Mamou Mardi Gras: 8 a.m. until, downtown. Cajun-style celebration with costumed men on horseback chasing chickens and collecting food for the town’s communal gumbo.

Mandeville

--Krewe of Donz: Lakeshore Drive.

Metairie

--Krewe of Argus: 10 a.m., Metairie. http://www.kreweofargus.net.

--Krewe of Jefferson: Truck parade. Follows Argus.

--Elks jeffersonians: Truck parade. Follows Jefferson.

Morgan City

--Krewe of Hephaestus: 2 p.m., Sixth Street, ending on Myrtle Street.

New Iberia

--Krewe of Coteau Mardi Gras Parade: 1 p.m., 6310 Coteau Road. http://www.iberiatravel.com.

New Orleans

--Krewe of Zulu: 8 a.m., Uptown.

--Krewe of Rex: 10 a.m., Uptown.

--Elks Orleans: Truck parade. Follows Rex, Uptown.

--Crescent City: Truck parade. Follows Rex, Uptown.

New Roads

--Community Center Carnival Parade: 11 a.m. http://www.pctourism.org.

• ew roads Lions Parade: 2 p.m. http://www.pctourism.org.

Opelousas

--Half-Fast Krewe of Frank’s Parades: 11 a.m.

Thibodaux

--Krewe of Ghana: 11 a.m.