Krewe of Bacchus

Krewe of Bacchus
	The Bacchagator, one of the Krewe of Bacchus's signature floats
Abbreviation	KoB
Named after	Bacchus
Formation	1968; 56 years ago
Founders	Owen Edward Brennan, Sr., Owen Brennan, Jr
Founded at	New Orleans, LA.
Type	Carnival Krewe
Location	New Orleans, LA.;
Website	kreweofbacchus.org

Krewe of Bacchus is a New Orleans Mardi Gras super krewe.

History and formation

The Krewe of Bacchus is an organization founded in 1968 by Owen Brennan, Jr.^[1]^[2] as one of the first modern "superkrewes," defined by their size, spectacular floats, and celebrity riders. It is named for Bacchus, the Roman god of wine.

Bob Hope as King of Bacchus in 1973

Bacchus was the first krewe to have celebrities appear as part of the parade. Past celebrities who have served as Bacchus include: Steve Guttenberg, Danny Kaye, William Shatner, Lorne Greene, Charlton Heston, Jackie Gleason, Bob Hope, New Orleans' own Pete Fountain, JK Simmons, Phil Harris, Henry Winkler, Glen Campbell, Jon Lovitz, and more recently, Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Michael Keaton, James Gandolfini, Gerald McRaney in 1992, Harry Connick, Jr. in 1993, Hulk Hogan in 2008, Val Kilmer in 2009, Drew Brees in 2010, Will Ferrell in 2012 and Jim Caviezel in 2017 and Jensen Ackles (whose wife, Danneel Ackles is a native of Lafayette and named after New Orleans' Danneel Street) in 2019.

Ron Howard's reign as Bacchus was canceled by the 1979 New Orleans Police Department strike which scuttled all official Mardi Gras parades within the city limits. His Happy Days co-star, Henry Winkler, reigned in 1977.

The only non-celebrity to reign as Bacchus was Sgt. John McKeel Jr. (1981), who was held captive for 444 days during the Iran Hostage Crisis with 51 others.

Membership

The 2020 Krewe included more than 1,600 members, and its parade featured 33 floats,^[3] including its signature floats: the Bacchasaurus, a giant dinosaur; the Bacchawhoppa, an equally large whale; Bacchagator, an enormous alligator; and Bacchatality, a three-float procession made up of restaurateurs. The Baccha-Amore, a love themed float, was introduced in 2008. For the 50th Anniversary, the Krewe introduced two new signature floats: the BacchaKong Family and the Bacchaneer. In keeping with tradition, "Bacchus beads" and doubloons are thrown to revelers from the floats.

After a long absence from prime time television, Bacchus returned to the New Orleans airwaves in 2009, when NBC affiliate WDSU produced a five-hour live broadcast of the parade and ensuing party at New Orleans Morial Convention Center. The Bacchus Rendezvous, the krewe's ball, has been held at the Convention Center since 1994 after it was held at the now-demolished Rivergate Convention Center from 1969 to 1993.

Parade

The Krewe of Bacchus parades during the New Orleans Mardi Gras, on the Sunday evening before Mardi Gras.

Parade themes

1969 The Best Things in Life
1970 Remember When
1971 Bacchus Salutes Mardi Gras
1972 Bacchus Book of Horrors
1973 Bacchus Goes to the Movies
1974 Bacchus Reads the Comics
1975 The Circus Parade
1976 Spirit of '76
1977 Happily Ever After
1978 Monarchs and Memories
1979 The Undersea World of Bac-chu-steau (parade cancelled due to New Orleans Police Department strike)
1980 The Undersea World of Bac-chu-steau
1981 The Old Testament
1982 American Heroes and Heroines
1983 Bacchus Presents: Jewels of the Zodiac
1984 Rivers of the World
1985 In Vino Veritas
1986 New Orleans, We Love You
1987 Bacchanal
1988 20 Years of Bacchus
1989 Sing Along with Bacchus
1990 Our Planet Earth
1991 The Bacchus Gallery of Art
1992 What a Way to Go
1993 Silver Jubilee
1994 I am Sending You a Big Bouquet of Roses
1995 Color My World
1996 Games People Play
1997 Bacchus' Comic Book Heroes
1998 Where Y'at Dawlin'
1999 A Tribute to Jules Verne
2000 Milestones to the Millennium
2001 Denizens of the Deep
2002 Bacchus Journeys Through Africa
2003 Bacchus' Fantasy World
2004 Bacchus Magical Mystery Tour
2005 Bacchus Super Sunday
2006 Bacchus Follows the Yellow Brick Road
2007 Through the Eyes of a Child
2008 40 Years of Fun
2009 Creatures of the Imagination
2010 Love is in the Air
2011 Bacchus Salutes America's Greatest Generation
2012 Bacchus Celebrates the Louisiana Bicentennial
2013 Bacchus Sails the Seven Seas
2014 Bacchus Explores Our Sportman's Paradise
2015 Children's Stories that Live Forever
2016 Flights of Delight
2017 Bacchus Salutes the Saints 50th
2018 Bacchus Celebrates Its Golden
2019 Starring Louisiana
2020 Wild, Wild West
2021 Parade cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2022 From the Heart
2023 Throw Me Something Mister
2024 Take A Number, Please
2025 Louisiana Fairs and Festivals^[4]