Queen of Queens Costume Party

The 86 contestants delighted the Friday night LAFF convention crowd by dressing up as Hollywood characters. These photos, taken by Dayna Willis, show (clockwise from top left) Crawfish Queen Nonnie Berard as Lucille Ball, Washington Catfish Queen Heather Hickey as Cruella Deville, Cattle Queen Kristen Hoover as Jessie from Toy Story, Miss LA Cajun Food Gabrielle Theriot (Willis's daughter) as Mulan, Strawberry Queen Jeni Abrams as Dorothy, Frog Queen Chelsea Richard as the WB Frog, Miss Allen Parish Fair Rose Woodward as Cleopatra, and Celtic Nations Heritage Queen Winter Duhon as Scarlett O'Hara.

Mardi Gras: Crowning glories

The festival queens sit onstage above the ball's King and Queen (this year a father-daughter duo), and add glamour to the scene, while enjoying festivities themselves. Shown here are Strawberry, Rice, Crawfish, Troubadour, and Yam queens, with the Troubadour queen in a hoop skirt so big she had to sit over her chair instead of on it.

Mardi Gras: Hail to the Queens, Part I

The final dignataries presented are the festival queens, who glide through the ballroom led by krewe members carrying signs proclaiming each girl's name and festival. I was unable to get good shots of all the queens (and I sincerely apologize to those not pictured), but they all deported themselves well at the ball, earning applause from the crowds. Seen here: Strawberry Queen Jeni, Rice Queen Devin, Crawfish Queen Nonnie, Troubadours Queen Elizabeth, Yambilee Queen Meghin, and French Food Queen Kayla