"Royal Rivers" Ready to Roll

In spite of Mardi Gras falling this year on one of the earliest possible dates, February 5 will find the beautiful Rex Procession winding its way down its traditional parade route. This year's starting point will be at S. Claiborne and Napoleon Avenues, and will begin at 10AM.

The 2008 Theme is "Royal Rivers," especially appropriate since the Rex Procession winds through the streets of one of the world's great river cities. But on every continent, and throughout history, rivers have played a central role in the growth of civilization. Ancient peoples gave them magical names, and ascribed to them god-like powers. Even the mythical underworld needed a river, the River Styx.

Rivers became the earliest highways and routes for commerce, and opened the unknown world to exploration. Nowhere was that more true than in the New World, where rivers like the Amazon, the Hudson, the Mississippi, and the Missouri welcomed explorers and settlers.

This year's Procession pays tribute to the role played by the world's great rivers over the centuries. The Rex Organization dedicates the 2008 "Royal Rivers" Procession to B. Temple Brown, Jr., Rex 1992, who for many years played a key role in the creation of Rex parades, and who originally imagined and proposed this year's Parade Theme.

Look for Mr. Brown's initials on the Title Float. This is the first time a Rex Parade has been dedicated to the life and memory of one of its members.