[StBernard] St. Bernard's Gladiators might roll on Mardi Gras

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard's Gladiators might roll on Mardi Gras
By Bob Warren, The Times-Picayune 
November 16, 2009, 4:45AM

It's been nearly two decades since St. Bernard Parish last had a parade on
Mardi Gras.

But if one local krewe has its way, parish residents might once again head
to the neutral ground in Chalmette or Arabi with coolers and grills on Fat
Tuesday.

The Krewe of Gladiators, a longtime parish parading group forced to cancel
last season's ride because of the economic downturn, wants to return this
Carnival season with a parade on Feb. 16, Krewe Capt. Bill Egan said.

It would mark Gladiators' 34th ride, but its first on Carnival Day.

"We'd love to bring back Mardi Gras day to St. Bernard Parish,'' Egan said.
"It's been such a long time.''

St. Bernard Parish has not had a parade on Mardi Gras since 1990, the last
ride of the Mystic Krewe of Carnival. The Krewe of Arabi had paraded in the
parish on Fat Tuesday for decades, but disbanded in 1987.

"We want it to be like the old days - a family-affair-type thing with
barbecue pits on the neutral ground,'' Egan said. 

The St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office said that the krewe has a permit in
hand to parade on Feb. 16. Egan said the krewe has also covered the other
logistics of getting floats, insurance, etc. Now, he said he's trying to put
together the needed 150 riders to make the parade a go.

"That would give us 15, 16 floats,'' he said, adding that ridership would be
open to families or other groups interested in teaming up to ride on a
float.

Egan said the krewe plans a 10 a.m. start time in case viewers are
interested in making it out to other parades in Metairie or New Orleans
later that day.

"I'd say it's a semi-done deal,'' he said. "We've taken all the preliminary
steps. If we get the response (from riders) I'm hoping, then it's a done
deal.''

The parish's lone other Carnival parade, the Knights of Nemesis, plans its
annual ride on Feb. 6.

While Egan is optimistic of the krewe's chances, the area's Carnival
calendar has gone through several changes in recent years for varied
reasons.

Gladiators was forced to cancel its parade in 2009 because several of its
longtime members had to back out for financial reasons, citing the downturn
in the economy. And earlier this week the Krewe of Rhea in Metairie canceled
its 2010 ride because the Sunday it parades, Feb. 7, would pit it against
the Super Bowl.

Riders interested in Gladiators can call Egan at 504.342.2445