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The Mystic Krewe of Shangri-La
has announced that it will not parade in 2009 for economic reasons.
The 36-year-old Carnival organization that once had 400 riding members
has lost membership in the last year and decided to take a year
off to "regroup," said captain and founder Mary Katherine
Lonatro-Tusa. She declined to say how many members have left the
organization.
"The economy is affecting
everybody all the way around," she said.
Shangri-La was founded in 1973
as an all-women's Carnival organization and began admitting men
in 2000. It usually parades along the traditional Uptown route on
the opening weekend of the Carnival season. Last year the parade
included 17 floats, 17 local bands and other marching groups.
Shangri-La has asked the New Orleans
City Council for official permission to take next year off. A proposed
amendment to a Carnival ordinance would allow any Carnival parade
organization facing hard economic times -- in 2009 or in future
years -- to be allowed to take a year off. During the suspension
period, the organization would continue to pay city parade permits
fees.
A leave of absence from the streets
in 2009 would allow Shangri-La to "regroup and come back stronger
in 2010," Lonatro-Tusa said. The organization plans to host
its third annual French Quarter Stroll on Valentine's Day in 2009,
the day it was scheduled to parade. Members of the krewe's court
will don their ball attire and other krewe members will wear costumes
for the stroll, which includes carriages.
"It will be much more elaborate
than it has been in the past two years," Lonatro-Tusa said.
More details about the stroll event
will be released later.
For information on the Mystic Krewe
of Shangri-La, visit www.kreweofshangrila.com.
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