With Fat Tuesday on the horizon, now’s the perfect time to explore a unique part of Mardi Gras culture: gay carnival. Tonight, Preserve Louisiana will present “Lagniappe Lecture: The History of Gay Carnival” at the Old Governor’s Mansion.
Gay krewes emerged in the late 1950s, stemming from costume parties hosted by members of the gay community. But the police raids of the 1960s and the 1980s AIDS crisis drastically affected many krewes, allowing their histories to fall through the cracks.
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Wayne Phillips, curator of Carnival Collections at the Louisiana State Museum, will be giving a presentation, complete with artifacts from the collection. Past kings and queens of Apollo Baton Rouge will be present and dressed in full costume.
Attendees can enjoy live entertainment from the Nick Abraham Quintet and festive signature cocktails.
“Lagniappe Lecture: The History of Gay Carnival” is tonight, Jan. 25, 6-9 p.m., at the Old Governor’s Mansion. Tickets are $25 for Preserve Louisiana members and $35 for non-members. Purchase tickets here. The Old Governor’s Mansion is at 502 North Blvd.