Rex, King of Carnival
The King of Carnival since 1872, and the source of Mardi Gras's purple, green and gold.
- Usual slot
- Mardi Gras morning, after Zulu
- Usual start
- 10:30 a.m. (check the year's schedule)
- Route
- Napoleon Avenue and S. Claiborne, then St. Charles Avenue to Canal Street
- Founded
- 1872
- Official site
- www.rexorganization.com
History
Rex was formed in 1872 to give the city a single daytime parade and a figurehead for Mardi Gras. Its monarch is styled the King of Carnival, and its motto is 'Pro Bono Publico', for the public good.
Purple, green and gold first appeared with Rex's first parade in 1872. Their meanings came later, with the 1892 Rex parade 'Symbolism of Colors': purple for justice, green for faith, gold for power.
On Mardi Gras night the courts of Rex and of the Mistick Krewe of Comus meet at a ball, a ceremony held since 1882 that formally closes Carnival.
Rex rolls on Mardi Gras morning after Zulu, followed by long lines of truck parades. Its Boeuf Gras float, a giant ox, recalls the fatted ox of medieval Carnival.
If the usual slot holds Usual pattern, not announced
Usual slot: Mardi Gras morning, after Zulu. 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 | Tue 17 Feb | Tue 17 Feb |
| 2027 | Tue 9 Feb | Tue 9 Feb |
| 2028 | Tue 29 Feb | Tue 29 Feb |
| 2029 | Tue 13 Feb | Tue 13 Feb |
| 2030 | Tue 5 Mar | Tue 5 Mar |
| 2031 | Tue 25 Feb | Tue 25 Feb |
| 2032 | Tue 10 Feb | Tue 10 Feb |
| 2033 | Tue 1 Mar | Tue 1 Mar |
| 2034 | Tue 21 Feb | Tue 21 Feb |
| 2035 | Tue 6 Feb | Tue 6 Feb |
Recent parades: 2025: 4 Mar 2025; 2026: 17 Feb 2026 (published city schedules). Both fell exactly on the usual slot.
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rex_parade (founding; route; motto; checked 2026-10-26)
- myneworleans.com/how-carnival-got-its-colors-2/ (colours: 1872 origin, 1892 meanings; checked 2026-10-26)
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mistick_Krewe_of_Comus (Meeting of the Courts since 1882; checked 2026-10-26)
History written for this site from the sources above. Parade dates for 2025 and 2026 from published city schedules.