KAPLAN, La. - “There’s no better way to bring 20,000 people to our little city of Kaplan than to have a parade,” Lisa Brown, a 37 year member of Krewe Chic-A-La-Pie, said.
The history of the Krewe began in 1952 by Ruby Bailey.
“She’s the one who started our parade by hitching her little pony to a wagon and riding the streets hollering, ‘Happy Mardi Gras,’ to all of her friends and neighbors,” Brown said.
The Krewe’s name, Chic-A-La-Pie, originated from an old nursery rhyme.
Brown said, “They chose the name Chic-A-La-Pie because the orgin comes from a little children’s nursery rhyme, ‘Chic-A-La-Pie Chic-A-La-Pie give me your nose and I’ll bake you a pie.'”
The founder of the Krewe, Ruby Bailey decided over a cup of coffee with her friends that she wanted to create a female-led Mardi Gras Krewe. Her vision is still carried out today, as only women lead the Krewe.
“What makes it so nice and unique in our area is that we’re the only women’s Krewe that is around.”
Rowena Broussard, a Chic-A-La-Pie board member, says they enjoy getting local businesses involved in their Mardi Gras traditions.
Each year, local business owners decorate their businesses to compete for a ruby, which is given to the best decorated business.
“And it’s handed to them, and that’s done yearly, so it’s nice to see the town decorated all in Mardi Gras just to participate in trying to get the ruby,” Broussard said.
This year’s parade’s theme is the Disney movie, Inside Out.
The parade will roll on February 17 at 2 p.m.
