A Timeline of Gay Carnival
Compiled by Frank Perez
Send corrections, additions, etc. to info@lgbtarchivesla.org
1949 Steamboat Club’s Lundi Gras Luncheon debuts at Brennan’s Restaurant
1958 Krewe of Yuga, New Orleans’ first gay Carnival Krewe is founded
1962 Krewe of Petronius is founded
1962 Yuga ball is raided
1963 Arthur Jacobs presents the first Bourbon Street Awards at the corner of Bourbon and Dumaine Streets
1965 Krewe of Amon-Ra is founded
1968 Krewe of Armeinius is founded
1969 Amon-Ra presents 1st Miss America Pageant
1970 Mystick Krewe of Apollo debuts at Monteleone; 1st gay ball presented in a hotel
1971 Krewe of Olympus debuts; 1st gay ball presented at the St. Bernard Civic Auditorium
1972 Mystick Krewe of Apollo is the 1st gay ball to be held at the Municipal Auditorium
1976 Mystick Krewe of Apollo de Lafayette is founded
1977 Mystick Krewe of Apollo/Birmingham debuts
1977 Mystic(k?) Krewe of Celestial Knights (KOCK) is founded
1977 Academy of the Golden Goddess, Inc. (AGGI)/New Orleans debuts presenting annual awards show celebrating gay Carnival clubs
1978 Mystick Krewe of Apollo (Shreveport) is founded
1979 Police strike cancels parades in New Orleans; patrons of Charlene’s & the Golden Lantern take to the streets as the Krewe of Cancellation
1980 Police cancel Krewe of Cancellation parade because they have no parade permit
1981 Mystick Krewe of Apollo (Baton Rouge) is founded
1981 Krewe of Ishtar, the 1st lesbian krewe, is founded
1982-3 Edd Smith hosts Bourbon & St. Ann St. Awards; no Bourbon Street Awards held
1983 Krewe of Polyphemus is founded
1984 Lords of Leather, the 1st leather krewe, is founded
1984 11 gay Carnival krewes present balls, a record in New Orleans
1984 No Edd Smith or Bourbon Street Awards
1986 Bourbon Street Awards resumes & moves to St. Ann & Burgundy
1987 Krewe of Queenateenas debuts, presenting 1st Official Gay Mardi Gras Bead Toss
1991 AGGIs ends
1992 Petronius, Amon-Ra, Armeinius & Lords of Leather present only gay balls in New Orleans
1993 Krewe of Barkus is founded
1994 Krewe of Queenateenas crowns 1st King Cake Queen of Gay Mardi Gras
1999 1st new gay Carnival Club since 1984, Krewe of Mwindo, is founded
1999 Lundi Gras Luncheon celebrates 50th anniversary
2000 Le Vendredi de Nuit Mardi Gras Avant debuts benefiting AIDS service organizations
2001 People of Substance's Krewe of Anubis is founded
2002 Bourbon Street Awards returns to Bourbon & St. Ann Streets
2002 Petronius celebrates 40th anniversary
2003 Krewe of Satyricon is founded
2003 Krewe of Queenateenas celebrates 10th King Cake Queen Coronation
2004 40th Bourbon Street Awards presented
2005 Amon-Ra celebrates 40th anniversary
2006 Petronius celebrates 45th anniversary
2007 Queenateenas celebrate 20th Official Gay Mardi Gras Bead Toss
2008 Armeinius celebrates 40th anniversary
2008 Lords of Leather celebrates 25th anniversary
2008 Queenateenas celebrates 15th King Cake Queen Coronation
2009 Bourbon Street Awards returns to Bourbon Street
2010 Amon-Ra celebrates 45th anniversary
2012 Petronius celebrates 50th anniversary
2013 Queenateenas celebrates 20th King Cake Queen Coronation
2014 50th Bourbon Street Awards
2015 Krewe du Rue Royale Revelers is founded; names first 12th Night Grand Reveler