About Our Krewe

In 1993, the Krewe of Victoria was formed by eight ladies: Debbie Landry, Phyllis Bergeron, Carolyn Guilbeaux, Nancy Sutton, Teresa Meza, Mary Romagosa, Aimee Waguespack and the original president, Wendy Harwood, to whom the millenium ball, Carnival en Rio, was dedicated. These ladies wanted to begin a women's krewe that was different. Annual events and the tableaux take an original direction often combining the Victorian age with South Louisiana's Mardi Gras madness. Wendy's Canadian background was just the thing to enliven Victorian history, so with the Coronation of Queen Victoria in 1994 the Krewe of Victoria was launched.

Membership is by invitation only, with a limited number of members. In addition to celebrating Queen Victoria's birthday with a Spring Tea, the Krewe hosts numerous events: High Tea to choose the following year's royalty, New Member Social, Royalty Announcement Party to reveal the court, Christmas Soiree, King Cake Party, and a party before Queen Evangeline's parade.

Among members, there is strong support for the Acadiana Symphony and Friends of the Humanities. Four members have been Queen and one Prince has been King of the Bishop's Charity Ball. A former Queen Victoria is Friends of Louisiana Public Broadcasting Board President. Seven members have served as president of the Lafayette Parish Medical Society Alliance, the eighth, president-elect for 2000-2001. Five members have chaired the Alliance Antique Show. Volunteers serve on many local boards including VITA, Pets for Health, the Lafayette Health Care Clinic and in the churches and schools of Acadiana. Starting in 2000, an annual charitable cash contribution in memory of founding member Wendy Harwood will be given to a deserving charitable organization.