Carnival Memphis
carnival memphis formerly known memphis cotton carnival series party festival staged annually since memphis tennessee centralized carnival memphis association member krewes similar mardi gras month june carnival salute various aspect memphis industry reigned current year secretly selected king queen royal court carnival royal court made young woman memphis princess mostly around age nineteen typically completed firstyear study college escort member court city memphis known lady realm member court sometimes carry special title king princess selected king bear title queen princess president princess princess representing various social club memphis princess memphis country club various krewes within carnival male escort princess representing various social club normally bear masculine form title well making one instance prince university club queen young woman least year older court typically age one would finished two three year college king traditionally much older court prominent leader current year saluted industry carnival usually held first week june commencing friday memorial day beginning crown sceptre ball ending grand carnival ball time grand krewes carnival also hold event party celebrating king queen court along entire reveler carnival memphis carnival memphis put carnival memphis association governed board director vacancy filled member board president elected annually board member executive director manages daily aspect association carnival memphis association organizes plan budget promotes king queen royal court well many event staged carnival week however grand krewes known secret society also stage festivity throughout year elect royalty manage budget membership requirement organization bear egyptian name accordance tradition originally set mystic memphi conjunction memphis sister city ancient memphis egypt twelve grand krewes carnival memphis recognizes mystic society memphi osiris sphinx ramet ennead phoenix aani ptolemy kemet jubilee ptah luxor queen bee secret order boll weevil support group carnival grand krewe grand krewes memphi osiris ramet sphinx oldline grand krewes started original secret society memphis cotton carnival however memphi considers history traceable original promoter memphis mardi gras although became defunct time span last mardi gras restoration cotton carnival secret society membership requirement financial commitment normally complex one wish join one older krewes compared newer krewes may little membership process memphi osiris allmale organization exception memphi allows past queen become member reign following belief queen always queen grand krewe independently governed board director elect executive within membership title executive differ krewe krewe mostly known general chairman chairman king queen carnival memphis kept secret announcement usually early february oldline grand krewes keep royalty secret throughout carnival sublime ouro king memphi announced wednesday night carnival week krewe member king osiris announced last day carnival week memphis looking regain economic vitality prosperity along much south nation whole memphis suffering devastation civil war reconstruction city memphis celebrated mardi gras keeping traditional christian liturgical calendar season lent similar practiced new orleans louisiana city celebration brainchild local businessmen david p hadden former confederate soldier colton greene proposed idea response memphis daily appeal call idea plan boost city economy business community celebration rivaled new orleans greene—best remembered founder memphis mardi gras—also founded mystic society memphi funded organized social event carnival help hadden others “greene persuaded railroad company lower fare celebration hired fashionable artist costumer succeeded attracting huge crowd grand parades” course year secret society “krewe” system formed instrumental planning staging big parade elaborate ball party celebrate serve face festive season carnival featured colorful costume inspired culture classical antiquity greece rome egypt playing egyptian root name memphis artist designer used imagery float invitation flyer give party mystical feeling festival inventive origin story created artist memphis artist carl gutherz gutherz commissioned create elaborate invitation society party ball created interest envy sketch float event gutherz appeared national magazine publication essential success memphis mardi gras memphis daily appeal account first memphis mardi gras estimated people attended city slightly memphis mardi gras featured ku klux klan float float reported memphis daily appeal proklan memphis avalanche klan response northern white thought klan violently racist organization memphis avalanche description float mythical terror negro kuklux well represented every instance black high hat conical shape hat bore skull cross bone terrible letter k k k white marched along negro moved back many k k rope lasso favorite bit pleasantry lasso negro violence offered contortion grimace captive highly amusing historian elaine parson say float intended ridicule newspaper reported outrage klan article excerpt memphis daily appeal note white man float impersonating “spade” derogatory term african american float occurring mere six year memphis massacre reemphasized celebration white citizen though celebration memphis mardi gras saw great success massive yellow fever outbreak decline city cause gradual decline mardi gras roughly turn century party legacy lived memphis event revival great depression mardi gras reincarnated cotton carnival new celebration became one biggest party south remaining culturally significant event memphis celebrates day early twentieth century great interest developed creating citywide event like carnival reestablishing mystic memphi influential memphians became actively interested memphi memphis cotton carnival association established early effort conducted bring sense excitement life back city memphis people however rather following lenten calendar held strictly celebrate mardi gras designer decided festival would promote something else memphis primary asset timecotton time memphis midsouth region like rest united state throe great depression many work region cotton selling penny pound prosperity midsouth dependent cotton measure taken increase use precious commodity time memphis chamber commerce trouble raising money compete city south atlanta new orleans arthur halle group businessmen called herbert jennings downtown theatre manager donation jennings agreed contribute shared idea believed would help promote business draw attention cotton help publicize upcoming movie jennings offered local retailer opportunity display cotton good theatre planned encourage use store window promote cotton clothing halle intrigued idea envisioned larger citywide promotion called upon everett r cook president memphis cotton exchange time cook invited come theatre hear idea idea quickly grew plan grand celebration king queen royal court would involve people midsouth idea promote use wearing cotton product would lead increased demand stimulate sale worked people began demand cotton product sock ball gown cook expressed vision way carnival promote business everybody used one group store people kind profession business city whole regardless size business social standing wealth prestige family background anything else would tend make anyone feel would invited participate carnival fanfare excitement centered around cotton carnival climaxed throughout midtolate twentieth century time event stretched several week month may june incorporated much originally set memphis cotton carnival association become centralized governing body along participating krewes becoming festival could rivaled anywhere south except new orleans mardi gras brought many number series street parade downtown memphis continued held addition numerous party many city elite social club continued event started form new face entertainment dubbed south greatest party enjoy carnival krewes held traditional aspect carnival entertained onlooker musician elvis presley waylon jennings jerry lee lewis welcoming guest united state world time truly become city important celebrated event participated memphians midsoutherners socioeconomic background addition music festival intriguing popular event arrival royal barge event much sight see king queen royal court along royal page guard participant would ride beautifully decorated barge mississippi river docking downtown memphis onlooker revel awe elaborately designed welllit backdrop along night sky lit array firework truly wonder everyone present entire city seemed gathered along mississippi riverbank spring evening attend royal barge landing walk along carnival midway watch carnival parade many national publication medium covered fanfare association even crowned maid cotton tour globe promote cotton fashion assassination martin luther king jr left memphis devastated many different way one aspect state downtown urban sprawl began common business resident moving away city inner core public event staged cotton carnival became far parade slowly became thing past arrival royal barge city memphis municipal government acquired float factory used manufacture elaborately decorated float mainstream memphians midsoutherners grew less less interested staging event also festival began form took place carnival memphis may international festival highly anticipated beale street music festival year however carnival luster began fade along declining role cotton area national press gradually lost interest maid cotton pageant moved dallas texas exists today various reason saw name cotton carnival changed great river carnival even less approval changed carnival memphis organization sited done community grown tremendous way memphis economy become diversified longer centered exclusively around cotton king beginning chosen leader aspect commerce cotton industry longer referred king cotton simply king rex carnivali year cotton carnival though officially intent purpose white beale street dentist named dr rq venson took nephew downtown see carnival parade complete marching band float year existence pulled black men asked liked didnt nephew replied negro horse venson enjoined black memphians hold separate event result cotton maker fiesta organized name changed cotton maker jubilee protest establish dignity respect negro men woman first celebration held third week may jubilee enjoyed successful year two occasion celebration past activity took place first time world war ii second occasion due assassination dr martin luther king jr organization briefly merged carnival memphis became known krewe kemet jubilee king still older man tie industry saluted year queen still young unmarried woman one memphis better family thats one tradition least hasnt changed year elitist charge came supposedly secret activity carnival royalty especially various grand krewes whose membership — party especially — invitation year year many outsider would read commercial appeal memphis newspaper story fancydress ball dinner dance held mysterioussounding egyptianthemed krewes wonder could attend party daughter debut certain circle sense separation within memphis community led charge elitism later twentieth century carnival memphis general reputation dwindled nothing series formal debutante party various private social country club consisting largely city elite gathering together promote event longer truly living twilight year gone parade grand party firework midway hustle bustle entire metropolitan area promote gather together take part great event however carnival official grew aware certain negative issue surrounding event severely declining reputation began actually implementing step year bring outsider realm carnival event open public africanamerican memphians beginning take part carnival one black krewe cotton maker currently kemet jubilee also carnival begun selecting local charity organizing special event carnival krewes charity receiving monetary donation seventyfour year later mission carnival remains much recognize promote industry major economic impact midsouth community promote city memphis great place live work cause annual celebration honor industry people midsouth general motto carnival memphis convivium cum propositione latin party purpose according jim cole lived memphis mids early attended numerous cotton carnival elvis presley major headline entertainer mid despite effort many prominent memphians many carnival krewes ceased operation recent year official website grand krewe ptolemy website