The Shoeboxus parade

The relatively new New Orleans Krewe of Chewbacchus has sci-fi events outside of Carnival season, too. For Star Wars day on Monday, they staged a parade. This one was called Shoeboxus.

Often the landscape of Mardi Gras is dotted with larger parades helmed by the moneyed and reigned over by the famous; they are slick, professional affairs, with strict rules and big fees.  Shoeboxus brings spectators back to their elementary school days when celebrating Mardi Gras meant making your own miniaturized float á la an empty shoebox, a bit of paint and paste, and lots and lots of beads.

“Part of the ethos of Chewbacchus is to both celebrate and mock the things we love. It's this earnest love of science fiction but we also know that we're a bunch of silly nerds and we do this crazy, homemade parade,” says co-founder Ryan Ballard. “We don't take it seriously whatsoever.”

There were larger vehicles bringing up the rear, like tricycles, but altogether, the Shoeboxus parade with small but showy. You can read more about it and see plenty of pictures at Atlas Obscura. A good time was had by all.

(Image credit: April Siese)