Krewe of Nyx hosts Murder Mystery Fundraiser Benefitting Hero Dogs

 

WHODUNIT?!

 

That’s the big mystery as the Mystic Krewe of Nyx hosts a night of intrigue & philanthropy.

“Murder at the Masquerade”
~A Dinner and Fundraiser benefiting Hero Dogs Inc. – Service Dogs for America’s Military Heroes~

Saturday, September 29, 2018 ♦ 7:00 pm

Laissez le bon temps rouler! There is always something intriguing happening in the Big Easy.  And, on the 29th of September, we will let the good times roll for a good cause. Our guests will be dressed to make an big impression as they join in our murder mystery plot. We will find clues, share information, and watch as the murderous plot unfolds to solve the crime of the night!

All of this will be done while enjoying a wonderful 3-Course Dinner of a salad, entree, and dessert. As we eat and all search for the killer, “suspects” will be able to inspect and bid on the silent auction items!

CLICK TO BUY TICKETS

So, pull out your costume, best masquerade gown, or come as you are for THE MURDER MYSTERY OF THE EVENING: The rustle of silks and feathers under muted conversation was probably the last thing heard by the tragically and unexpectedly deceased at the Billionaires’ Club Annual Masquerade Ball. With a mystery under each feathery façade, unmasking the killer may be quite a challenge. It’s up to you to determine which partygoer is guilty, bring this crime to justice, and save the party! Attend the Billionaires’ Club Annual Masquerade Ball and help get this soiree back on track by trading clues with your guests, gathering information, and solving the crime before the masked menace gets away! Get ready for a glamorous evening of mystery, intrigue, and murder.

Prizes will also be given during the evening for the following categories:

  • Best Actor (Individual Award)
  • Best Actress (Individual Award)
  • Best Dressed Male (Individual Award)
  • Best Dressed Female (Individual Award)
  • Best Detectives (Table Award)
  • Dead Last Place (Table Award)

It’s time to sharpen your detective skills and join us for:

MURDER AT THE MASQUERADE!

Saturday, September 29, 2018
Check-In begins at 6:00 pm
Murder Mystery Starts Promptly at 7:00 pm
Harrah’s Casino, The Theatre
New Orleans, LA

LIVE AUCTION EMCEE: DOUG MOUTON, WWL-TV’s Sports Director
ATTIRE: From Casual to Masquerade Ball to Costume…Pick your Poison!
MUST PURCHASE A TICKET FOR ENTRY

A NOTE ABOUT HERO DOGS, INC:

The Mystic Krewe of Nyx is honored to support this important cause, as we know there is perhaps no greater way to say thank you to our military heroes than helping restore their lives and dignity through programs like Hero Dogs. Hero Dogs, Inc., is dedicated to the well-being of our nation’s Veterans by teaming together heroes to form a dynamic team that can restore independence and improve the quality of life of a Veteran.

 

Julie Lea-Krewe of Nyx Captain’s Mardi Gras Blog Series “Captain 2 Captain” Blog 3–Druids Interview

 

 

Join me as I sit down with my friend and Consultant for the Mystic Krewe of Druids, to learn a little more about them.

 

Mystic Krewe of Druids riders

 

 

JL:  I know the Ancient Druids has been parading since 1998. How did it all begin?

CMKD: Well that is a very interesting story. Myself and one other guy had thrown around the idea of Starting a parade. Conversation went from one idea to another and then went away. Then….myself and a few members of another Club that I belong to went to a Mardi Gras dance together with our wives (It was a Club in Chalmette that is no longer around) and we won a couple bottles
of Tequila and one thing led to another and Druids was Reborn.

There’s more to the tequila story, but, I’d get in a bunch of trouble if I explained the whole story so I’ll leave it alone.

So then myself and the original guy that had discussed the idea went to the City Council and we received a permit. And now it’s October and we have six members.

 

JL: Has Druids always paraded on the Wednesday night before Mardi Gras?

CMKD:  Druids originally paraded as a marching group from around 1915-1921 and then paraded behind Rex from 1922-1935. So we took 65 years off and started parading on a Tuesday night until Hurricane Katrina. We were then asked by the City to move from Tuesday to Wednesday.

JL: There is such a mystique and secrecy about the Krewe. Even the King who is referred to as the Arch Druid is never revealed. Why has the organization decided to remain so anonymous?

CMKD:  We just thought it would bring some fun back to Mardi Gras. Remember there were not that many parades on week nights. There were no Muses or Chaos when we started and Pegasus had moved to the weekend so Tuesday was open. And as far as the Archdruid. We know who the Archdruid is so that’s all that matters. Besides Mardi Gras has always been about secrecy and masking and every Club doesn’t want 3,000 members.

JL:   I also have learned that unlike most Krewes, Druids does not conform with tradition as far as staging a ball, nor naming a court, or a Queen. What is the reasoning for not participating in that type of pageantry?

CMKD:  Most of the guys are involved in other Clubs so we thought just having a parade would be best.
How do you know we don’t have a Queen ?

JL:  The parade is always very controversial. The themes and float titles really push the envelope with poking fun at public figures, being politically incorrect, and taking puns at other Krewes etc. I know this first hand! LOL. What is the premise behind taking the parade to the extremes?

 

Mystic Krewe of Druids sign takes a jab at female krewes in its 2015 parade.

 

CMKD:  That’s not us. You must be talking about someone else.

JL:  Do you think that the parade is misunderstood by some folks in the community?

CMKD: Yes. Absolutely!!

JL:   Now I have to talk about the Druids/Nyx relationship. We have enjoyed some good Mardi Gras fun through the years. I have to take you back to Wednesday, February 15, 2012, which was the night of our first parade. I will never forget we were in the staging area where Druids members were walking to their floats raising their beers and cheering us on in the pouring rain. It really meant something for us to share your parade night and to be wished well for our first ride. And then……..…I heard about the last float in Druids that night. I was crushed! LOL! Then I realized this was going to be a lot of fun and “Welcome to New Orleans Mardi Gras.” It was a real baptism for Nyx. Tell me about the sign on the last float that night.

CMKD: First we warned you that it rains two out of every three years, but, that is perfect Druids weather.

I believe our theme was Druids Circus ? Can’t remember title of last float. I have selective memory.

 

Sign on Druids last float in its 2012 parade.

 

Like they say…if you can’t make fun of your friends….

Druids float in its 2016 parade.

I do remember a few of your riders seemed upset, but, I think they now know it’s all done in jest.

I’m not sure if the media has figured that out yet which is really funny.

 

 

 

 

JL:   I’m glad that we enjoy a friendly relationship with the two Krewes. Don’t think that we aren’t ready for you year after year because we are!

From the Druids walkers in front of our parade that you left behind a few years, to float signs and different titles, we are always have a come back for you guys to keep Druids on its toes. Other than poking fun at each other, how has having Nyx ride behind Druids enhanced your parade?

Nyx jabs Druids in front of its 2014 parade.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nyx’s “Don’t be Cruel” float dressed like a Druid rider in its 2015 parade.
Nyx puts “Druids” riders who were left behind in front of their 2016 parade.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CMKD:  The good part is we now have people on the streets. The bad part is we now have to buy throws.

Not a lot of throws. Nyx throws enough for the both of us.
The 2019 parade should be a lot of fun.

I think we are ready for ya’ll.

 

 

“The Ancient Druids will parade on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 at 6:15pm on the traditional Uptown parade route…………..as a great opening act for the Mystic Krewe of Nyx who parades right behind them at 6:45pm. Don’t miss this spectacle of Mardi Gras mudslinging at its finest!”

NOLA NYXETTES HOST DANCE CLINIC AND AUDITIONS JUNE 9 & 10-WOMEN ENCOURAGED TO JOIN THE CITY’S PREMIER MARDI GRAS DANCE TROUPE

NOLA NYXETTES HOST DANCE CLINIC AND AUDITIONS JUNE 9 & 10

WOMEN ENCOURAGED TO JOIN THE CITY’S PREMIER MARDI GRAS DANCE TROUPE

Dance Clinic: Saturday, June 9 at Hilton Riverside Chart Ballroom, 10 am – 1 pm
Auditions: Sunday June 10 at Harrah’s Casino, Fulton Street Room 1, 10 am – 1pm

The Nola Nyxettes dance troupe is holding tryouts this weekend for talented ladies 21 and older.    The auditions will help form a new squad of women who will sashay down St. Charles Avenue during six  Mardi Gras parades in 2019.

 

  

The Nyxettes are holding a clinic to teach eligible ladies a dance routine on Saturday, June 9 at the Hilton Riverside Chart Ballroom, Riverside Bldg from 10 am – 1pm.

Auditions will be held the next day on Sunday, June 10 at Harrah’s Casino, Fulton Street Room 1, from 10 am – 1 pm.    Dancers must attend the clinic to learn the featured number before auditioning on Sunday.  The 2018-2019 squad will be chosen on site.

Audition notes:  Doors will open at 10 a.m. with auditions starting shortly thereafter.  Women may bring mirrors, makeup, and hairstyling essentials to prepare for auditions. They should be performance-ready to try out with hair and makeup complete when auditions begin.

“The Nyxette’s signature top hats and tails bring an element of New York-style dancing to Mardi Gras, which has made the Nyxettes one of the premier dance troupes during Mardi Gras,” said Nyxettes Director and Krewe of Nyx Captain Julie Lea.  “The Nyxettes have become an integral extension of our sisterhood and represent the Krewe at events throughout the year.”

 

The Nola Nyxettes were founded in 2012 and made their debut at the Krewe of Nyx Ball on February 1, 2014.  The team marches in several carnival parades during the season including – Freret, King Arthur, Nyx, Iris, Thoth, and Zulu.

The group has performed at several Pelicans pre-game shows, numerous community parades, and several Mardi Gras balls.

 

For more information on auditions please visit:

 

A new Mardi Gras Season Begins for the Krewe of Nyx

Written by:  Alison Frazier

The 2019 season for the Mystic Krewe of Nyx has begun and our Summer Social Meet and Greet is  next weekend. The event is one of my favorites. Not only is it a wonderful time to meet new members and reconnect with current ones, it’s a festival of sisterhood. Nyx Sisters come together to share a night of dancing, food, and libations. The positive energy in the room is always palpable and off the charts.

 

  

Being a born and raised New Orleanian, Mardi Gras is in my blood. I began marching in parades at the age of twelve and continued until I graduated from high school. I would look at those riding on the floats and wonder what it was like up there. When my children graduated from high school, I looked for a carnival krewe to ride in. I wanted a krewe that rode at night and because I wanted to be a part of a sisterhood, it had to be an all-female krewe.

When I researched the Krewe of Nyx and found that their mission was ” to unite women of diverse backgrounds for fun, friendship, and the merriment of the Mardi Gras season,” I knew that I had found my krewe.

The Mystic Krewe of Nyx is more than just a carnival krewe and a sisterhood, it’s leading the way in terms of diversity and inclusivity with a significant number of women of all races and backgrounds riding.  Since becoming a member, I have many friends from all walks of life that I am proud to call my sisters.

 

This season is sure to be a great one and I can’t wait to attend krewe events. The many functions for Nyx Sisters and their families to gather and celebrate our 8th year as a Mardi Gras krewe will definitely create memories that will last a lifetime.

The Mystic Krewe of Nyx motto is,  “Friends come and go, but a sister is forever.”

I like that motto.

I love this krewe.

Hail Nyx!

 

Alison Frazier is a five year member of the Krewe of Nyx.  She is also a Float Lieutenant.  You can read more about Allison from her blog, http://www.bayoucreole.wordpress.com.

Reflections of the 2019 Krewe of Nyx Title Float winner

Written by:  Jody Braunig

 

The last time I saw my 115 riders, mostly everyone was huddled together under tarps in the torrential downpour during our Wednesday night ride. This was our absolute best year and we can’t wait to showcase our love for the krewe through our made-with-love-and-a-little-wine 2019 Title Float Headdresses.

 

Members of “Jody’s Float” and winners of the headdress contest at the Nyx pre parade party 2018.

Jody’s Float is a community of women, sisters, who spend time getting to know each other through social events and weekly, sometimes daily, headdress crafting parties. We are a float of mothers, students, wives and friends who sometimes take the lead, and sometimes help support. We have the biggest float in the krewe and we believe in the power of sisterhood. We ARE NYX sisters.

I have been a Krewe of Nyx Float Lieutenant for the past six years and we have always been Jody’s Float. Over the last seven years, as the floats have grown from 30 riders to 60 riders to 80 riders and 100+ riders, float names have become an important part of the riding experience.  Members take a lot of pride in their float names, giving each float its own sense of identity.  Glitter Girls, Leading Ladies, Ladies of Mystery, the Glitta Hittas, and Blingtastic Krewe are just a few examples of the creativity riders bring to their float names. Our float flirted with the idea of changing our name to something more creative, but we just couldn’t think of a new name. So, we are Jody’s Float, the 2019 Title Float. And we have alot of pride in that name.

As I turn the page on this year’s ride, I’ve had the opportunity to reflect on this past year. My float was the biggest float in the parade and I embraced that honor with pride. However, managing a Mardi Gras Float full of women is a labor love – alot of love, ALOT OF LABOR and more love. This year new leaders emerged, and it was easy for me to delegate responsibilities. We have a Rock Star Treasurer, a different lead for each of our events including float meetings, holiday parties, happy hours, and many more engaged members who stand ready to lend their time and support to creating an amazing experience. Our Headdress Chair is one of the most creative people I have ever met. She is calm, yet authoritative (in a great way!) while engaging everyone who shows up to help paint, glitter and glue. One rider orders the wigs, one rider is in charge of music, one rider oversees the swag and another rider can always be counted on to bring extra food and drinks for our events. Different riders host events in their homes while other riders volunteer to help with costume pickup, float loading and more. I love having the awesome responsibility of building a community for my riders, but we all play a role in making that happen.

At every event, whether it be a NYX Newbie 101 meeting, Wacky Sweater Holiday Party, or the upcoming Brunch, we ALWAYS do an “icebreaker.” My riders may roll their eyes to each other, but I know they love it and appreciate it. It’s how we start the connection that turns into a community and a sisterhood.

In the middle of last year, I was asked to join the Mystic Krewe of Nyx board. I have been at both ends of the table when it comes to board involvement. I have sat on many boards and committees throughout my career and I run my own board as the Girls on the Run Executive Director. Being a good board member is not an easy task. And being a Krewe of Nyx board member is no exception. Running an organization of over 3300 women is extremely demanding and the Mystic Krewe of Nyx board members volunteer hundreds of hours behind the scenes to make it happen. Learning how to work closely with different types of people and learning how to trust each other has been both challenging and rewarding. And FUN! It has been an honor to work together with eight dedicated women who take time away from their families and friends and jobs to make sure every detail is perfect.

 

“Jody’s Float” will ride on Float 5 next year, the title float.

I have learned alot this past year as a Mystic Krewe of Nyx board member. Although there are the frustrations that go along with any type of  board work, the blossoming friendships, the unwavering support of sisters, the fun times and the laughs make it all worthwhile. As the Krewe grows, change is inevitable. Great changes are ahead and I’m sure some mistakes will be made along the way. But I can promise you that when you walk into the 2019 NYX MYX Ball, you will experience a sense of awe and amazement. I promise the board spent time brainstorming ideas to make sure you throw the most unique and sought after throws. And I promise you your board spent hours planning and executing events so members can get to know each other while raising money for charities and Nyx sisters in need. It’s a privilege for me to be a part of it.

Krewe of Nyx Title Float

The Mystic Krewe of Nyx is more than a parade, more than a social club, it’s a family and a true sisterhood. Year seven was my best year yet, so I can only imagine what year eight will bring as the winner of the Title Float. My volunteer role and work as a Nyx board member helped me to truly appreciate the magic of Nyx. I am honored and humbled to lead the 115 sisters on Jody’s Float as we take our place on the Title Float in 2019.

 

Jody is a Charter Member of the Krewe of Nyx as well as a Charter Float Lieutenant.  She also serves on the Nyx Board of Directors as the Director of Fundraising.  You can read some of her other writings about the Krewe of Nyx which have been published in her series:  Goddesses of the Night and Goddess of the Night My Secret Life .

Krewe of Nyx Purses tracked on the Nyx Purse Tracker Facebook Page

 

Written by Del Hamilton:

In the Spring of 2012 I made a life changing decision when I decided to join the Mystic Krewe of Nyx.  I really wanted to be a part of a women’s krewe and had watched the very first Nyx parade roll in 2012 in the pouring rain.  As my first months passed I attended any event that I could to meet people.  The Krewe’s signature throw was a decorated purse and I was very intimidated by the thought of having to do these.  I attended my first purse decorating party in October with absolutely no clue of what I was getting involved in.  The thought of glittering a purse frightened me but I knew I needed to do it.  During that party, as the group chatted away, the idea of having a way to track where our purses went was born.  I walked away from that event with my very first decorated purse and went home.  It was after that event that I sat down one day and created on Facebook a new page called the Nyx Purse Tracker.

 

It began small and the first year only had a couple hundred followers.  The idea was that riders could add a card, label, or tag that asked the recipient to take a photo of themselves with their catch and post it to the Purse Tracker page so that we could see where and to who our creations went to.  I remember getting up the morning after the 2013 parade and taking a look at it.  Posts were going up.  That year we only had a relatively small handful of posts.  About 50 people posted their photos on the page.

The next year I decided to start posting teaser photos of purses prior to the parade.  This was a fun way to feature some of our creations and get interest from the public to attend the parade. That year I did a purse countdown to the parade and posted a new photo each day for the 50 days prior to the parade.  I have always been very stringent on my self-imposed rules on posting photos.  Photos had to be unique to the page and not have been posted previously.  So if a rider posted a photo to the page themselves I would not repost that as a feature photo.  I was careful to seek permission from the creator to post their photos.  Some riders gave me carte blanche permission to use any photo they had.  I love those riders!  It makes the job so much easier.  Gathering photos for a countdown is the hardest part.  As the 2014 parade approached I was getting messages from all over asking “How can I catch a purse?”  So I started telling people to make signs.  It was a thrill that year to see Purse Tracker signs on the parade route.

 

 

That year we had about 150 people post photos.  The excitement was also building with the riders who search Nyx Purse Tracker trying to catch a post of one of their creations.  The whole idea is completely voluntary on both ends so there is no requirement to put a card on a purse and of course there is no way to ensure that even if there is a card on your purse that the recipient will post a photo.  But after that 2nd year the site was off and running.  It was growing practically by the minute.  Interaction between riders and followers grew as more and more teaser photos were posted.   By 2015 the followers had grown to almost 2000 and instead of a 50 day countdown I did a 100 day countdown.  I learned along the way that posts that I made at 6 am had more impact than one posted later in the day.  Based on that information I began scheduling posts to hit early in the morning to have the most reach possible.   I have connected with people from all over the world through Nyx Purse Tracker and photos have been posted from many different countries.  We even had one recipient take her purse along with her on her travels.  We never knew where the traveling purse was going next and it was fun to find out when she posted a photo.

  

I also met a number of people through Nyx Purse Tracker.  Two really stand out for me.  One was a lady that reached out asking how could she catch a purse.  I of course told her to make a sign.  We conversed back and forth a bit on what that sign should say.  I finally told her to put “Jackie From Maryland” on the sign so I would know who she was.  As we rolled down Napoleon there she was with her sign exclaiming who she was and I managed to throw her the bag I had prepared for her.  After the parade she posted her picture and we continued to converse and became friends on Facebook.

The 2nd person that stands out that connected with me is a lady who posted a photo.  As we rolled down Magazine Street a man came up to me begging for a purse for his wife.  You KNOW that story.  I laughed and said “You really have a wife?  Where is your wife?”  He pointed back to a lady in the crowd who was waving away.  I gave him that purse!  Later Pamela posted a photo and we also connected and became friends.  I had never met them in person.  One lived in Maryland and one in Michigan.

 

 

This past year both of those ladies rode a couple spots away from me in their first Nyx parade as my Nyx sisters.  So the bottom line is that Purse Tracker now has over 5700 followers and is growing every day. It has become a place for people to connect all over the love of Nyx and catching purses.  It has even helped get a rider’s actual personal purse that she accidentally threw off the float back to her when the person who caught it posted asking for help in returning it.

 

This past year we had hundreds of photos posted from all over the world.  Seeing a creation you made in the hands of its new owner and loved as much as we loved them provides a feeling like no other.  We would love to have thousands of photos posted next year. Please follow along on our purse journey by liking our page. https://www.facebook.com/NyxPurseTracker/

 

Del Hamilton is a seven year member of the Krewe of Nyx.  She is also a Float Lieutenant and assists the krewe with its preservation of archives.  Additionally, she is a connoisseur of purse decorating!  Watch her making some beautiful Nyx purses for the 2018 parade .

Julie Lea – Nyx Captain’s Mardi Gras Blog Series “Captain 2 Captain”

Join me  as I interview many different Mardi Gras Captains from across the New Orleans Metro area for a behind the scenes look at how traditions are formed and how parades are staged.

For my first blog in this series, I sit down with my friend Bobby Hjortsberg, the Captain of the Krewe of Freret.

 

JL  In doing research on the Krewe of Freret, I know y’all were founded in 2011, and first paraded in 2014.  Congratulations on that! What made you and the other founders decide to use the name of a former krewe, The Krewe of Freret?  

BH  We have been asked this question a lot and most people don’t believe the answer. Founder Brendan Ryan came up with the name because of our association with Freret Street.  We all went to Loyola and Freret St. was a big part of our lives, thus we became the Krewe of Freret.  We had no idea there was previously a Krewe of Freret until we filed formal paperwork with the state.

JL Parading in New Orleans has so many traditions and one of them is the signature throw.  Tell me about yours and how you guys came up with it.

BH  We wanted to do something handmade like many other Krewe’s now do.  We thought doing masks was an obvious choice for Carnival. We also wanted to throw something people could put on immediately and in a way, become part of the parade.

JL Something very unique about the Krewe of Freret that I find very interesting, and others may not  be aware of is, y’all do a Public Coronation each year.  Can you share with me details about that event?

BH So this just kind of evolved which I guess is how many great ideas come about.  We wanted to watch the first parade of the year together as a Krewe so Brendan and I walked the entire route of Krewe du Vieux to determine the best spot to set up.  Elysian Fields and Royal worked out well because of the amount of neutral ground space there. Once we picked the spot, founder Greg Rhoades noted that Elysian Fields is traditionally “the final resting place of the souls of the heroic and virtuous” in Greek Mythology.  Royal street is obviously a nod to royalty. Thus our Royals begin their reign there and also turn it over to the next royals in the same place. When they give up the crown they are going to their figurative final resting place.

JL How did the hashtag #BeMardiGras come about?

BH #BeMardiGras came about as a result of the masks.  We wanted people to immediately put the masks Bon that we threw and tag them on Social Media.  This allowed folks to actively participate in our parade while at the same time giving the riders a cool look at where their throws ended up.

JL What’s the biggest surprise to you about being a Mardi Gras Krewe Captain?

BH The amount of work that goes into it. It is a year around almost every day job and we only have 400 riders. The amount of time and planning that goes into a 3 hour event is truly mind boggling.

JL You and I have shared some great memories through the years celebrating at different events.  I have pictures to prove it! What would you say is your greatest Mardi Gras memory since the Krewe of Freret has hit the streets?

BH My greatest Mardi Gras memory was the first time our floats turned onto St. Charles avenue in 2014. The weather was perfect and the crowds were enormous.  It was also the first time I had ever ridden in a parade.  Although I had been invited to ride many times before, I wanted to save the experience for when we finally pulled it off on our own.  It was worth it!

 

Bobby Hjortsberg and Julie Lea New Orleans
Freret Captain Bobby Hjortsberg & Nyx Captain Julie Lea

 

JL What’s the best piece of advice you ever got about running a krewe and who was it from?

BH I bet I know why you asked this question lol.  The best piece of advice I ever got about running the Krewe of Freret was don’t wait. We were told not to wait until we thought  we were ready to get a permit or until we were “big enough” because we would never feel ready for such a huge step.  We were also told if we waited we would never get it because the competition for permits was growing and there were only a finite number of them left. It was you of course who gave us this advice. Without that guidance its a pretty safe bet that we would have never been successful in getting a permit and ultimately fulfilling our dream of parading down St. Charles ave.  We will forever be grateful for that piece of advice and all of the other help we got from you and Nyx along this awesome journey!

 

The Krewe of Freret’s membership is currently open.  For more information, visit their site,  www.kreweoffreret.com.