Saturday, February 23, 2019 at Wyndam Gardens — Lafayette

Delcambre’s Krewe de Mystical Waters 20th anniversary bal masque was held Saturday, Feb. 23 at Wyndham Gardens in Lafayette. This year’s celebration, titled ‘Salute,’ was two-fold. The krewe paid tribute to its nine krewe members, as well as any guests who presently serve or have served in a military capacity. In addition, the night was commemorative of 20 years of fun and 20 years of great krewe memories. 

As guests entered the ballroom, they were transported to Arlington National Cemetery as two Tomb Guard Sentinels marched the 21-steps guarding a replica of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The founders of the krewe, Gerard and Rhonda Vincent, replaced a white floral wreath with one bearing red, white and blue, as well as purple, gold and green flowers, symbolic of the krewe celebrating the Mardi Gras season and the military. 

An empty table was set with various articles, each with its own significance and remained as set in remembrance of all Prisoners of War. Sergeant Ross Gary lit the candle on the table that burned throughout the night, a reminder of those soldiers who remain POW. 

Soldiers from throughout the state of Louisiana representing all five branches of the military entered the ballroom to their theme songs, carrying flags with their branch insignias. A highlight of the night was the presentation of the nine military krewe members. As each member was introduced, their years of service and stations of deployment were recognized. Each soldier’s wife joined him on stage and families were asked to stand to be recognized. Krewe President Glenn Crappell presented the nine honored soldiers and all soldiers in the audience with a commemorative medal. He also presented the wives with roses. 

Joining the festivities were visiting royalty from New Iberia’s Krewe de Fou and Erath’s Krewe de la Renaissance de Acadienne. King Krewe de Mystical Waters’ XVII, Edrick LeBlanc and his daughter and queen, Kimberly Mason, served as Captain and Queen Mother for the evening. Young Ambassadors were presented and last year’s young ambassador royalty, King Cayman Crappell and Queen Riley Schexnayder crowned the 2019 Young Ambassador King and Queen.

The fun and merriment of the evening began with a parade of historical icons led by patriotically dressed Uncle Sams on stilts. No military celebration is complete without basic training and Drill Sergeant Robbie Barras whipped his group of army trainees into shape with much needed discipline. A blast-from-the-past performance to the iconic “In the Mood” took the audience back in time. Ending with the unforgettable scene from Top Gun, our Jersey Boys realized that their girls had “Lost that Loving Feeling” when they chose soldier Landon Broussard to be their “Maverick” for the night. Leather, denim, chrome, red, white and blue – plus “Bad to the Bone” girls and guys and the All-American Men and Women were “Born to Be Wild.” Nothing says freedom like riding out of the ballroom on a Harley.

Most formal military balls conclude with a traditional military beverage known as Regiment Punch. Recalling nine significant battles that had been fought on the homeland as well as abroad brought each of the nine military krewe members to the grog bowl to contribute a bottle of a specific “festive” beverage to the punch and they each presented a toast that conveyed a personal sentiment in regard to their time of service to their country. 

The final toast was one by President Crappell as he saluted all of the krewe’s past kings and queens. All members of the royal court then paraded into the ballroom carrying Mardi Gras umbrellas and other Mardi Gras delights to perform the finale that concluded the night’s festivities.