Le Krewe d'Etat
The satirical Friday-night krewe ruled not by a king but by 'The Dictator', with a theme kept secret until it rolls.
- Usual slot
- Friday before Mardi Gras, evening (after Hermes)
- Usual start
- about 6:30 p.m. (check the year's schedule)
- Route
- Uptown St. Charles route
- Founded
- 1996; first parade 1998
- Official site
- www.lekrewedetat.com/
History
d'Etat was founded in 1996 and first paraded in 1998, in the Friday-night slot left by older krewes. Instead of a king it has 'The Dictator', and its floats lampoon local and national politics with a theme announced only on parade night.
If the usual slot holds Usual pattern, not announced
Usual slot: Friday before Mardi Gras, evening (after Hermes). Tied to Fat Tuesday, that slot gives these dates. They are projections, not a schedule: confirm on the krewe's site or the city's Mardi Gras page before you travel.
| Carnival | Usual-slot date | Fat Tuesday |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fri 13 Feb | Tue 17 Feb |
| 2027 | Fri 5 Feb | Tue 9 Feb |
| 2028 | Fri 25 Feb | Tue 29 Feb |
| 2029 | Fri 9 Feb | Tue 13 Feb |
| 2030 | Fri 1 Mar | Tue 5 Mar |
| 2031 | Fri 21 Feb | Tue 25 Feb |
| 2032 | Fri 6 Feb | Tue 10 Feb |
| 2033 | Fri 25 Feb | Tue 1 Mar |
| 2034 | Fri 17 Feb | Tue 21 Feb |
| 2035 | Fri 2 Feb | Tue 6 Feb |
Recent parades: 2025: 28 Feb 2025; 2026: 13 Feb 2026 (published city schedules). Both fell exactly on the usual slot.
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Krewe_d%27Etat (founding; Dictator; secret theme; checked 2026-10-26)
History written for this site from the sources above. Parade dates for 2025 and 2026 from published city schedules.