The ‘tit Rex parade starts on the neutral ground where crowds can get up close to the floats ©Ryan Hodgson-Rigsbee
From The Camellia Bean Blog February 5, 2015
From Grade School To Gallery
While most New Orleans carnival groups strive to grow from krewes to super-krewes to mega-krewes, one tight knit collective of artists and Mardi Gras enthusiasts aim to preserve carnival heritage on a smaller scale; some might even say miniature. The krewe of ‘tit Rex, whose name is a combined tongue-in-cheek reference to the granddaddy of all Mardi Gras krewes – Rex – and the Cajun term of endearment reserved for little brothers, produces a completely unique parade comprised of shoebox sized floats.
“Most of our founding members grew up in New Orleans or Louisiana and had the tradition of turning shoeboxes into Mardi Gras floats in school as kids,” co-founder Brett Evans said. What was once an elementary school craft, would later take on a new artistic turn. Fast forward to 2009, when krewe founders decided to reconnect their childhood creations with an adult interpretation, and ’tit Rex was born. “My friend from high school, Greg, and I started with a gallery show of these little floats, “ Evans said. “We originally just had the parade go for a few blocks to end at the exhibit. Soon it just grew from there.”