NEW ORLEANS — Due to heavy rain, the forecast Saturday afternoon, all five krewes set to parade on the St. Charles route will roll early. Riders spent Friday getting ready for the weather.
“We do what we can so we can still have a good time,” said Mystical Order of the Phoenix member Catrice Charbonnet. The Order and the Knights of Sparta make up the Spartan Society, which was set to roll Saturday night.
Instead, the Krewe of Pontchartrain will roll at 9:30 a.m. followed by Legion of Mars, Krewe of Choctaw, Krewe of Freret, then Spartan Society, which is expected to begin around 1 p.m.
“It was a massive call-everybody one-day operation, but we got it done,” said Spartan representative Kenneth Beck.
The krewe will also be floats-only. No walking groups, including marching bands, will parade with it. “If you have just floats it moves faster,” Beck explained.
The Knights of Sparta will be able to keep their signature Roman helmets. The Mystical Order of the Phoenix, however, will have to ditch their custom-made headpieces because they are decorated with electric lights. “I charged it for three days getting ready for the parade, can’t wear it,” said Charbonnet with a laugh.
Friday she put each of her plush throws into individual plastic bags. Despite the hassle, she says she and other riders will “make the best of it. At least we get to roll.”
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