The super krewes of Mardi Gras are Endymion, Bacchus, and Orpheus — the largest, most elaborate parading organizations in New Orleans. They roll during the roughly 2 weeks of parades before Fat Tuesday (February 17, 2026) with massive floats and celebrity monarchs. Bayou Swamp Tours breaks down each krewe and how to catch them.
When Is the Best Time to Plan Your New Orleans Trip?
New Orleans welcomed roughly 18 million visitors in a recent year, according to New Orleans & Company. July highs average about 92 degrees while January highs average about 62 degrees, and the city sees about 62 inches of rain a year, per the National Weather Service. The French Quarter, founded in 1718, covers about 78 square blocks of walkable history. Explore more things to do in New Orleans.
How Can You Add a Swamp Tour to Your Itinerary?
Bayou Swamp Tours runs 1-hour-45-minute trips departing about 30 minutes from downtown, with French Quarter hotel pickup available. Small airboats hold 6 to 10 passengers and large airboats hold 15 to 27, and you may spot some of Louisiana's roughly 2 million wild alligators, per the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries. Book an airboat tour or read our latest bayou guides.
Rex
Rex is one of the oldest Krewes of ‘Royalty’. This group of around 600 men dates all the way back to 1872 and has been an international symbol of Mardi Gras and New Orleans ever since. Rex has been consider Mardi Gras Royalty since their start. They helped establish some of the lasting Mardi Gras traditions found in New Orleans. In fact, Rex came up with the official festival colors of green, gold, and purple. Every year Rex chooses a community leader to lead the parade float as Mardi Gras king. The parade for Rex will be held on February 25th, 2020.
Zulu
The Zulu Krewe is equally as important and has had some famous members, including Louis Armstrong. This Krewe was formed in 1916 and was named after the Zulu tribe in Africa. If you have the chance to watch the Zulu Krewe parade keep an eye out for Zulu coconuts. Zulu coconuts are considered a rare Mardi Gras item and are very much coveted by parade spectators. The Krewe spends a lot of time during the year creating the colorful coconuts. In the past, Zulu coconuts were thrown from moving floats, however, in recent years they have switched to passing the coconuts out to prevent breaking. You’ll have to be standing in the right place at the right time to get one. The Zulu Krewe parade will be held on February 25th, 2020.
Endymion
Endymion, part of the ‘Super Krewes’ is the largest Krewe in New Orleans. Its name translates to the god of fertility and eternal youth. This Kreme was founded in the 1960s and started out as a small scale Mardi Gras Krewe. However, the Krewe has seen exponential growth through the years. Each year the group selects a celebrity to lead the parade float. The Endymion Krewe parade will be held on February 22nd, 2020.
Bacchus
Bacchus was founded in the 1960s by a group of businessmen interested in reinventing some of the Mardi Gras festivities. The group wanted to make New Orleans, Mardi Gras known around the country. Some of the ways they achieved this was by hosting massive parties and inviting celebrities to join in the festivities. The Bacchus Krewe parade will be held on February 23rd, 2020.
Frequently Asked Questions
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