While many in Acadiana were trying to keep warm at home last week, Louisiana Sugar Cane Festival Queen Sugar Jeanne-Avery Chauvin made a trip with other pageant royalty around the state to the nation’s capitol to attend the annual Washington Mardi Gras. 

Chauvin, who was crowned the 81st Queen Sugar in September, made the trip with friends as representative of Iberia Parish for the carnival and ball, which lasted from Jan. 23-25. 

Although the Louisiana pageant queens hoped to get there at the beginning of the festivities, Chauvin said her group had a delayed flight to the freezing Louisiana temperatures last week that ultimately led to them arriving in D.C. on Thursday morning. 

“We had more time in Baton Rouge which wasn’t planned,” she said. “The festival queens were all in the same hotel so we spent time together and still made the most out of it.”

After arriving on Thursday morning, Chauvin said the group enjoyed a big cocktail party called Louisiana Alive showcasing the culture of the state. 

Pageant queens wore face paint for the event that represented their individual parishes, and the New Iberia native and Catholic High graduate said her face was painted with a sugar cane stalk to represent the area. 

Chauvin said she was able to tour the city on the second day of her trip, and visited Arlington National Cemetery and the Capitol on Friday. A Captain’s Ball and dinner were also planned, where she was presented with crowns and banners.

The festivities ended on Saturday with the Washington Mardi Gras Ball, which Chauvin said was her favorite night of the week. 

Little floats rolled through a large ballroom where beads were tossed in typical Mardi Gras fashion, and Chauvin said being presented with her full Queen Sugar attire felt like a dream. 

“That’s a moment you dream of and look forward to,” she said. “I will never forget being introduced as Queen Sugar and just showcasing where I’m from. That’s something you only get to experience once.”

Chauvin said she was honored and thrilled by the entire experience, and still has plenty on her schedule as she continues her reign as Queen Sugar for 2025. 

“It really was an honor and I can’t wait to continue as Queen Sugar,” she said.