Krewe bylaws

Our rules and guidelines are pretty darned laid-back. When in doubt, refer to Rule #1. Feel free to contact us at info@cryptiquekrewe.com with any questions.

Rule #1: Good vibes only

Always bring positive energy, always make our walk more fun because you're in it. Always be kind and always respect other Cryptique members. Always be a good member of the community. No drama, no stress. Our whole thing is about walking down the street wearing silly costumes; if you're able to get stressed out about that, this might not be the krewe for you!

Costume guidelines

You can wear any kind of monsterish or spooky costume to walk with Cryptique; anything nightmarish, Halloweeny, dark, creepy, gothic, etc! It's totally okay to push the boundaries of what counts as monstrous. Got a crazy idea? Feel free to check with the Council.
Big paper maché heads are encouraged but not required.
Making a new costume every year is encouraged but not required.
We strongly encourage wearing hand-made costumes rather than store-bought—or at least the main parts should be hand-made if possible.
Don't let perfection be the enemy of fun; we aren't all artists and we aren't judgey!
Please refrain from wearing any costume that may be considered cultural appropriation. When in doubt, please check with the Council.
If you're considering any kind of costume that is political in nature, we urge you to run it by the Council (info@cryptiquekrewe.com). Even if it's something we would probably all be aligned with philosophically, we really want to keep a positive and carefree spirit for Mardi Gras day. Please see Rule #1.

For those of you who are interested in trying paper-maché, we periodically host paper-maché and mask-making workshops! Join our mailing list if you want to be notified of those. (You can also check out Manning's paper-maché blog.)

Membership

All are welcome! Please join our mailing list. You'll receive our newsletter with info on upcoming events, our Mardi Gras parade route, etc. To walk with us, all you gotta do is show up! Members are not required to walk with us every year, but we'd always love to have you. Members are not required to live in the New Orleans area.

Mardi Gras day

We may change our meet-up time and route from year to year, but for the last two years we've met up at 9am on Mardi Gras morning on the neutral ground in front of Buffa's, and we've marched through the French Quarter for a couple hours, ending at Jackson Square. If you join our mailing list you'll receive updates about our march in the days before Mardi Gras. As stated above: to walk with us, all you gotta do is show up!

The Cryptique Council

Cryptique's leadership is the Cryptique Council; Andrew, Blake, Bridey, Jawbone, Manning, Sam, and Trish (alphabetical order!). There is no one ruler; we share leadership duties equally. Krewe members should feel encouraged to speak up to the Council about any concerns, any ideas for improvements, etc. The Council, at their discretion, can put things to a vote.

Dues

At the moment, there are none! For now the plan is that there may be Cryptique throws offered to our members for Mardi Gras, and those would require payment up front but will be completely optional. There will also be Cryptique parties and events throughout the year that may require payment (for example, to cover renting a space, and food), but those will also be optional. In any cases where money is collected, if the amount that's collected goes above the krewe's cost, we will donate the remainder to charity and report this to the membership.

Charitable activities

Info on fundraisers and other activities coming soon! For now, you can check out our list of favorite local charities.