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Lake Area residents celebrated the Twelfth Night Parade Extravaganza inside the Lake Charles Civic Center on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019. The event included a mini-parade featuring members of Krewe of Krewes under the direction of Mardi Gras of Southwest Louisiana.

Twelfth Night, which occurs 12 days after Christmas, is the beginning of the Mardi Gras season prior to Lent. Following tradition, Mardi Gras royalty of last year wave their symbolic good-byes to the thousands who turn out to see the grand fanfare of costumes and to greet the new season.

Rick Hickman

RickHickmanPhotographerrhickman@americanpress.com
https://www.americanpress.com/content/tncms/avatars/6/d3/ea1/6d3ea1c8-3a6c-11e7-a1c2-0f91a5883b36.b31acdd1ef972ec0a2acb8ea5b28d153.pngLake Area residents celebrated the Twelfth Night Parade Extravaganza inside the Lake Charles Civic Center on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019. The event included a mini-parade featuring members of Krewe of Krewes under the direction of Mardi Gras of Southwest Louisiana.

Rick Hickman

RickHickmanPhotographerrhickman@americanpress.com
https://www.americanpress.com/content/tncms/avatars/6/d3/ea1/6d3ea1c8-3a6c-11e7-a1c2-0f91a5883b36.b31acdd1ef972ec0a2acb8ea5b28d153.pngLake Area residents celebrated the Twelfth Night Parade Extravaganza inside the Lake Charles Civic Center on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019. The event included a mini-parade featuring members of Krewe of Krewes under the direction of Mardi Gras of Southwest Louisiana.

Twelfth Night, which occurs 12 days after Christmas, is the beginning of the Mardi Gras season prior to Lent. Following tradition, Mardi Gras royalty of last year wave their symbolic good-byes to the thousands who turn out to see the grand fanfare of costumes and to greet the new season.

Rick Hickman

RickHickmanPhotographerrhickman@americanpress.com
https://www.americanpress.com/content/tncms/avatars/6/d3/ea1/6d3ea1c8-3a6c-11e7-a1c2-0f91a5883b36.b31acdd1ef972ec0a2acb8ea5b28d153.pngLake Area residents celebrated the Twelfth Night Parade Extravaganza inside the Lake Charles Civic Center on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019. The event included a mini-parade featuring members of Krewe of Krewes under the direction of Mardi Gras of Southwest Louisiana.

Twelfth Night, which occurs 12 days after Christmas, is the beginning of the Mardi Gras season prior to Lent. Following tradition, Mardi Gras royalty of last year wave their symbolic good-byes to the thousands who turn out to see the grand fanfare of costumes and to greet the new season.

Rick Hickman

RickHickmanPhotographerrhickman@americanpress.com
https://www.americanpress.com/content/tncms/avatars/6/d3/ea1/6d3ea1c8-3a6c-11e7-a1c2-0f91a5883b36.b31acdd1ef972ec0a2acb8ea5b28d153.pngLake Area residents celebrated the Twelfth Night Parade Extravaganza inside the Lake Charles Civic Center on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019. The event included a mini-parade featuring members of Krewe of Krewes under the direction of Mardi Gras of Southwest Louisiana.

Twelfth Night, which occurs 12 days after Christmas, is the beginning of the Mardi Gras season prior to Lent. Following tradition, Mardi Gras royalty of last year wave their symbolic good-byes to the thousands who turn out to see the grand fanfare of costumes and to greet the new season.

Rick Hickman

RickHickmanPhotographerrhickman@americanpress.com
https://www.americanpress.com/content/tncms/avatars/6/d3/ea1/6d3ea1c8-3a6c-11e7-a1c2-0f91a5883b36.b31acdd1ef972ec0a2acb8ea5b28d153.pngLake Area residents celebrated the Twelfth Night Parade Extravaganza inside the Lake Charles Civic Center on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019. The event included a mini-parade featuring members of Krewe of Krewes under the direction of Mardi Gras of Southwest Louisiana.

Twelfth Night, which occurs 12 days after Christmas, is the beginning of the Mardi Gras season prior to Lent. Following tradition, Mardi Gras royalty of last year wave their symbolic good-byes to the thousands who turn out to see the grand fanfare of costumes and to greet the new season.

Rick Hickman

RickHickmanPhotographerrhickman@americanpress.com
https://www.americanpress.com/content/tncms/avatars/6/d3/ea1/6d3ea1c8-3a6c-11e7-a1c2-0f91a5883b36.b31acdd1ef972ec0a2acb8ea5b28d153.pngLake Area residents celebrated the Twelfth Night Parade Extravaganza inside the Lake Charles Civic Center on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019. The event included a mini-parade featuring members of Krewe of Krewes under the direction of Mardi Gras of Southwest Louisiana.

Twelfth Night, which occurs 12 days after Christmas, is the beginning of the Mardi Gras season prior to Lent. Following tradition, Mardi Gras royalty of last year wave their symbolic good-byes to the thousands who turn out to see the grand fanfare of costumes and to greet the new season.

Rick Hickman

RickHickmanPhotographerrhickman@americanpress.com
https://www.americanpress.com/content/tncms/avatars/6/d3/ea1/6d3ea1c8-3a6c-11e7-a1c2-0f91a5883b36.b31acdd1ef972ec0a2acb8ea5b28d153.png