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Celebrating 23
Years of Mardi Gras in Bay
County
The Krewe of
Dominique Youx is Bay Country’s original organization of nearly
200 members who have celebrated the festive Mardi Gras season here for
22 years.
According to
custom, Shrove Tuesday (“Fat Tuesday” to the English-speaking settlers,
“Mardi Gras” to the French) is the last day to indulge, or overindulge,
before Lent and its 40 days of fasting. The celebrations that take
place before Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Mobile, and Galveston set off a
carnival season that is notorious.
The Mardi Gras
tradition came to Panama City in 1986 when a group of local residents
headed by Errol Legasse and the late Jerry Castardo decided not to miss out
on the excitement of Mardi Gras and therefore formed the Krewe of
Dominique Youx.
Dominique Youx
is the nickname used by the eldest member of the famous Lafitte family
of buccaneers who sailed the southern seas in the early 1800’s
plundering vessels of those deemed to be their enemies. Dominique Youx
was actually Fredric Alexander Lafitte, brother of Jean and Pierre
Lafitte. He was the first of the brothers to become a buccaneer. He
was commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte as a privateer and served for
France during the war with Spain. When the Lafittes moved to New
Orleans, the charismatic Jean Lafitte organized hundreds of rogues into
a band of pirates who became the scourge of the Gulf of Mexico and the
Caribbean. Local rumor has it that some of their loot is still hidden in
the estuary of St. Andrew Bay.
The present day
Krewe of Dominique Youx, like other famous Mardi Gras Krewes, celebrate
the season in a carnival atmosphere. Historically, The Krewe arrives for the parade at
St. Andrews Marina aboard the “Sea Dragon” pirate ship. Pirates dressed
in colorful costumes then ride large floats to lead the annual St.
Andrews Parade.
In 2009 we moved to Pier Park On The Beach. This year King
Rob Fernandez (Dominique Youx XXII) and
his Queen, Joyce Muller, lead the Krewe parade as beads, doubloons, and
other trinkets are thrown to the huge crowds lining the route.
In Panama City
the season begins in mid-November with a black-tie evening celebration.
The Krewe presents a local, non-member dignitary with the “Baratarian
Cup”, a Mardi Gras honor unique to Panama City. This year’s recipient is
, a Bay County resident, who also serves as Grand Marshall in the
parade.
The Krewe also
holds a formal, costumed Mardi Gras Ball for the coronation of the new
King, Queen and Court members for the following year
The Krewe of
Dominique Youx is self-financing, paying for its own equipment, floats,
costumes, as well as the beads and doubloons thrown to the parade
watchers.
The Panama City
Krewe of Dominique Youx is proud to use the name of an historic
buccaneer to promote the carnival spirit of Mardi Gras for the enjoyment
of the people of Bay County.
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