Kim Erwin, New Orleans Mardi Gras
Kim Erwin, New Orleans Mardi Gras. (Kim Erwin of Realty World) So how does a nice girl from small-town Nebraska end up prancing around on a float during a Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans? I mean, New Orleans during Mardi Gras and Nebraska are about as completely opposite as two places can get, right?
“I had dreamed of riding on a Mardi Gras float since I was a little girl,” said Kim Erwin, real estate broker from Corpus Christi, Texas. “I went to Mardi Gras a few years ago and loved it and immediately decided to buy a condo just off Bourbon Street. While I was walking around in the French Quarter, I saw a necklace in a quaint little shop that had the word ‘Muses’ on it. I just loved it. I knew ‘Muses’ must be a Mardi Gras krewe, so I asked around until I found them.”
Muses, in Greek mythology, are daughters of Zeus and are inspirations to artists, poets and musicians. Muses, in Mardi Gras mythology, are members of a New Orleans krewe that first paraded in 2000, and which is made up exclusively of women. The Krewe of Muses now has over 1100 members. Kim is one of those members.
“When I found out where to apply, I went over and said I just had to ride on a float because it was my childhood dream.”
And in 2004, Kim rode in her first Mardi Gras parade.
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The Muses put on a night parade. And while not a Super Krewe like Endymion or Bacchus, the Muses have quickly gathered a loyal following, and were voted best night parade by a local magazine. During the parade, members fling “throws” to the crowds, and their signature throw is shoes. Yes, they throw shoes. But unlike Iraqi journalists, Muses’ shoes are welcomed. During the year, the krewe gets together at Glitter Parties to decorate shoes, and one member’s shoe creation is voted as best in shoe . . . er, show. Last year’s winner made a neon shoe. When finished, the shoes, around a thousand of them, are put into bags to be thrown from the floats to eager young women and metrosexuals.
Shoes are the trademark throw of the Muses, but not the only thing thrown. Beaded purses, custom designed Muses medallion necklaces, specially made Muses doubloons, Muses pedicure sets, and Muses Plush toys with big red lips are also thrown. The Mardi Gras accessory and throw manufacturing industry is evidently alive and well. Talk about your niche marketing.
For their night parade, the Muses turn out a little less than thirty floats. They are made by Mardi Gras World in New Orleans, the main float manufacturer for Mardi Gras. The Muses parade starts after a couple of other parades have finished. Since parades don’t always (if ever) run like clockwork, that means a floater (a person riding a float, and a term I just made up) could be on the float for many hours before the Muses parade even begins. That sounds like it could get uncomfortable.
“There are bathrooms on the floats,” said Kim.
OK, makes sense. I just never thought of a float as having a bathroom. But it works for me.
“We also bring food and of course drinks – Nectar of the Goddesses.”
Naturally.
“You’re on the float for a long time. It takes a couple of hours just to set up all your throws. You have to take them out of the packaging and hang them so you can reach them quickly. The crowds pass quickly so you don’t have time to unpackage as you go,” Kim said. “And sometimes the preceding parades can go a little long so you have to wait till they’re through. Then our parade lasts 3 to 4 hours.”
All those throws don’t just appear. They have to be ordered and purchased (or made). And each member orders and pays for her own throws. Since there are thousands of throws for each floater, that can get quite pricey. The throw manufacturers sell not only individual throws but also packages of different kinds of throws, each specifically made for the Muses. What will they think of next, a Muses clothing line?
“We already have a complete Muses clothing line online,” offered Kim.
Pure marketing genius.
As if spending hours on a float eating and drinking wasn’t enough fun, the Muses have a pre-party for all members. There are two classes of members, Riding and Non-Riding. Muses start as Non-Riders and work their way up to Riding members through attrition-there aren’t nearly enough riding spots on the floats for all the members.
And until this year, there was also a post-party. Talk about a hangover! The Muses post-party often featured big name musical entertainment, such as Harry Connick, Jr. and The Village People (in honor of that year’s parade theme – Disco!). This year, the post-party had been replaced by a bigger pre-party the night before the parade, which should make the day after the parade a little less painful.
Kim also revealed this little known secret. Floaters are actually required to wear safety lines, to keep them from falling off. Once you fall off your float, you are forbidden by New Orleans Mardi Gras law from getting back on. I suspect this law has evolved from experience.
So is the Krewe of Muses enough to keep Kim busy throughout Mardi Gras? Evidently not.
“I just joined a new Krewe, the Krewe Boo. All profits go to buy homes for police and firemen,” she said.
If you’re going to go all out for Mardi Gras, it might as well be for a good cause.
Kim Erwin New Orleans Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras. mardigras. Mardigras. Kim Erwin of Realty world.