Royal Gala in Lake Charles Louisiana

Since Jan. 6th on what is called Twelfth Night, Lake Charles Louisiana has been gearing up for Mardi Gras. Lake Charles has the second largest Mardi gras celebration in the state and is paced with events and parties. My favorite event was the Royal Gala where the Krewes unveil their themes and costumes that they have worked on all year. The Krewes are organizations or social groups with their own charities and activities. There are 42 Krewes in Lake Charles and all have a sense of exclusivity, you must be asked to join. The picture is from behind the stage and as you can see the costumes are serious stuff.

(cityoflakecharles.com/festivals/mardi_gras.asp)