[StBernard] Krewe of Gladiators in Chalmette cancels 2009 parade

[Westley Annis]

Krewe of Gladiators in Chalmette cancels 2009 parade
by The Times-Picayune 
Wednesday January 07, 2009, 11:07 AM
St. Bernard Parish's Krewe of Gladiators will not parade this year, a parade
official says.

"I wasn't going to put a parade on the street if it wasn't going to be a
decent one," said Bill Egan, the krewe's captain. 

The parade, what would have been the krewe's 34th annual event, was
scheduled to roll Feb. 14 in Chalmette. 

Egan blamed the bad economy.

He said dwindling membership and rising insurance costs associated with
putting on such an event made him decide to cancel this year's parade. 

"Between 50 and 60 of our members who planned to ride this year have backed
out because of financial reasons," he said. "The economy is affecting us
all." 

Egan said the club plans to give parading another shot for the 2010 Carnival
season.

The krewe had resumed rolling last year with 14 floats and 160 riders after
sitting out two years following Hurricane Katrina.