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NEFERTITI

The Krewe of Nefertiti was established in 2018 as an all-female social aid and pleasure organization in New Orleans East cultivating the community through volunteer service, fundraising and cel-ebration. The new club’s motto is “We Serve Before We Ride.”

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N E W O R L E A N S E A S T

For the fi rst time since 1992, the New Orleans East neighborhood will enjoy a Mardi Gras parade as the brand new Krewe of Nefertiti presents its inaugural

procession on Sunday, February 9, at Noon. The theme of the parade is THE BIRTH OF NEFERTITI, and each of the 14 Blaine Kern Artists fl oats will portray a chapter in Egyptian history. Queen of the 200 female member krewe is Nefertiti I Julie Greenberg. Riding as Grand Marshal is New Orleans East resident and self-made millionaire and philanthropist Jesseca DuPart. Marching bands from the area will participate. Each year Nefertiti plans a different surprise signature throw that will be jewel related. Parade goers should be on the lookout for the special jewelry boxes given out by riders. Also featured is the coloring book series of the life of Nefertiti. The krewe’s ball, called the Nefertiti Experience, is set for January 19, 2020, at a secret location. Attendees will board chartered buses and will be escorted to the site.

mardi grasscenethe popular Mardi Paws dog parade moves from the Mandeville lakefront to downtown Covington in 2020.

With nearly 800 co-ed members, the fi ve-year-old Krewe of Poseidon in Slidell is now St. Tammany Parish’s biggest Carnival organization. The procession features more than 70 units, including 31 fl oats (seven tandems). Poseidon continues to draw top units from New Orleans, including the 610 Stompers, the Amelia Earhawts, the Muff-a-lottas, and Disco Amigos. This parade outshines most Metairie parades and compares favorably with many in New Orleans.

NEW ORLEANSIn early December 2019, the City

Council was ready to pass additions to the Mardi Gras Ordinance, some of which merely codifi ed into law recent practices, including limiting

the number of marching groups in parades. New restrictions call for the elimination of the plastic wrap-pers on throws that clog the city’s storm drains. Revelers will also not be allowed to park campers, storage pods, or trucks with portable toilets within two blocks of parade routes, and the city now has the right to remove personal items left on pub-lic rights of way four hours before the start of a parade.

Kern Studios continues to make news, strengthening its position as the area’s premiere player in the fl oat building industry. While it parted ways with Rex and no longer produces any parades in Jefferson, St. Tammany or St. Bernard parishes, it gained Iris with

its 3,000+ members and more than 30 fl oats. Kern will handle the new female Krewe of Nefertiti, which brings a pre-season parade

to New Orleans East where the last Mardi Gras parade

rolled in 1992.The Kern company has also

renewed its relationship with the Krewe of Alla where Blaine Kern got his start more than eight decades ago. Barry Kern orchestrated the parade’s move from Sunday afternoon to Friday night as the third parade in a triple-header evening. He also brokered an Alla merger with the Legion of Mars, the eight-year-old philanthropic krewe that enjoys a deep military connection. Service members and fi rst responders from throughout the country, police and fi re departments, are being invited to join the parade. The Alla & Mars

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The Krewe of ALLA has merged with the Legion of Mars.