NEW ORLEANS — Carnival season is in full swing as the Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus rolled through the Marigny Saturday. Unlike other parades, this one doesn't have any big floats, yet's it still one of the most beloved.
It's almost like watching something out of this world as neon lights, props, costumes, and members of the Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus roll down Frenchmen.
This is the walking krewe's ninth year, the founders initially aimed to start the event to give those who couldn't really afford to join traditional Mardi Gras parade organizations a chance to be nerdy and creative, and it's grown to be much more.
"At least over 200," Lori Watts said.
Watts and her mother Cathy Rosselli are members of the All Wonder Women Subkrewe. Saturday afternoon they were making their finishing touches on tiaras to pass out.
"They're adjustable too, so they can fit anybody," Watts said.
They've spent countless hours just gathering the supplies, and putting the tiaras together, hoping that those who receive it may also get the gift of empowerment.
"Everybody wanted to be Lynda Carter, just her strength, her belief the fight for the right," Rosselli said.
Rosselli actually flew down from New Jersey just to be part of the event.
"This is all she wanted to do and I was so excited when she said she wanted to do it," Watts said.
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They're just two of 2500 people this year who are helping to make Chewbacchus unique, unlike other parades, this krewe encourages making as many things as possible by hand so that essentially everything is one of a kind.
"People put their love and heart into it, you want to keep it," Lena Asof a parade-goer.
And that's why when it comes to Carnival Krewes, Chewbacchus has a special place in New Orleans community, often affectionately called the people's parade.