Alla Planning Super 2011 Parade

Year Round Planning Culminates in Day of Merriment

BY FRANK J. BORNE, JR.

Kids are headed back to school and department stores soon will roll out the Halloween and Christmas decorations in their “seasonal” sections, but Mardi Gras 2011 already is on the minds of many. The Krewe of Alla, a West Bank organization established in 1932, parades from Algiers through Terrytown into Gretna two Sundays prior to Mardi Gras. Its parade typically is on the streets for about five to six hours, but planning for the graceful and efficient execution of this marvel requires many hours and months and a lot of hard work well in advance and leading up to parade day. Although Mardi Gras has been called “the greatest free show on earth,” in fact it is only free for the casual spectator. Millions are spent by Carnival organizations and their members each year to perpetuate this unique local tradition, and Alla is no different, striving to roll one of the biggest and brightest shows in all of Mardi Gras.

In 2011, Alla parades on Sunday, February 27, and Mardi Gras falls on Tuesday, March 8, one day short of the holiday’s latest possible date of March 9. This year’s half-way point from Alla’s 2010 parade to its 2011 parade was August 29, but shortly after the 2010 parade, planning was in earnest for 2011. Like most other organizations, Alla quickly booked the location of its coronation, called the Alla Galla, and its ball, or Alla Bash. Booking early is crucial because all of the organizations in the metro area typically have their balls within the last 30-60 days prior to Mardi Gras as well. That’s a lot of people making arrangements with the New Orleans area’s limited number of venues. As well, Alla firms up its calendar of general membership meetings, which it holds throughout the year, and special events such as its Prime Rib Dinner, Lobster Dinner, and Open House.

The organization’s regular meetings and special events provide members an opportunity to socialize and to network. Paul Leman, Alla’s president, has been a member since 1993 and is active in several organizations as parade marshal. “My dad took my family to parades where there often were family events,” he recalled. “When I was young, I wanted to catch as many parades as I could,” he said. About the social aspect of being a member of Alla, Leman said “I enjoy the group’s camaraderie and keeping this tradition going.”

Right after Mardi Gras, the theme for the next parade was selected, and float makers began painting over all of the previous year’s designs with white primer. In August, Alla provided The West Bank Beacon with an exclusive peek of sketches of the 2011 floats. The theme is “Alla’s Superfriends” and will feature many comic book super heroes we all enjoyed growing up. Once the sketches are complete and approved, Kern Studios, Inc., the float builder that handles Alla’s floats, will begin transferring the concepts to the floats. Alla owns about a half dozen of its floats including its signature floats the Coon-Ass and Allagator, and it rents the others, typically about 20 or more. Float rental and design is the costliest component of Alla’s parade, costing more than $100,000 of its $225,000 budget.

Alla is particularly proud of its outstanding marching bands. Its captain, John Beninate, II, who organizes parades for 13 Carnival krewes, indicates that the krewe spends more than $40,000 to attract quality bands. “We work really hard to secure the top bands in the area and some from out of state,” he said. The krewe in August sent out contracts and solicitations to schools throughout the New Orleans area and expects to pay $1,500 to $2,000 per marching band. They generally have at least 15-18 bands and schools from all over the United States. While the amount each school receives may seem to be a great benefit, schools incur quite a few costs to have the students participate, paying for everything from bus transportation and insurance to police escorts and having uniforms cleaned following the parade. “Marching turns out to be a great opportunity for the kids to perform for crowds more than it is an opportunity for the school to make money,” said Beninate.

Shortly after the 2010 parade, Alla selected its 79^th Maharajah (king), Bryan Adams, Fire Chief of the Terrytown-Fifth District Volunteer Fire Company. Alla’s Maharanee (queen), whose age range is 16 to 24, is already named from now until 2023, and typically is the daughter of one of the members of the all-male krewe. “Some are placed on the list from birth,” says Leman, whose daughter, Lindsay, will serve as the 2011 Maharanee. “It’s a very special honor for a dad to have his daughter reign as queen,” he said. For Leman, who served in 2007 as king during the krewe’s diamond anniversary, royalty has been a family affair. His brother, Michael, served in 2008 as king and niece, Michaela, reigned as queen in 2010.

Last month, Adams and other members of the krewe’s royalty had fittings for their costumes. Costumes for the king and queen cost about $4,000 each, and $800 of that is the cost for the brightly colored feathers that costume designers import from Africa. The costumes are manufactured brand new for each parade, although the krewe attempts to recycle some of the costly feathers. Each of the maids’ costumes costs about $2,200, including $400 in feathers.

Beninate served as Maharajah in 2001. “My grandfather was a founder of the krewe and my father reigned as king,” he said. For him, being king meant carrying on a special family tradition. “The roster of kings really is a who’s who of West Bank businessmen and influential figures,” he said. Alla’s kings have included Jefferson Parish Sheriff Harry Lee, Jefferson Parish Assessor Lawrence E. Chehardy, and Louisiana Public Service Commissioner John Schwegmann, and many well-known area businessmen.

Alla is going strong with 400 members, but would love to have many more. “Alla is a quality parade,” said Beninate. “It takes great members wanting to be involved and active to make the krewe special and one of the most anticipated annual events,” he said. The krewe meets at Blaine Kern’s Mardi Gras World located at 213 Newton Street in Algiers. Its next meeting is Wednesday, September 15 at 7:00 p.m. For more information about the krewe and its history and how to join and participate in its exciting activities, log on to www.kreweofalla.com.