Bacchus Celebrates 50th Anniversary

Updated Feb. 9, 2018: The 50th Anniversary Bacchus Parade will roll on Sunday, February 11, 2018, with Academy Award-winning actor J.K. Simmons reigning as its celebrity monarch.

Simmons was one of the stars of Terminator Genisys, which was shot right here in New Orleans. You can also see him in Justice League and Father Figures, and may remember him from Juno, Spider-Man, Whiplash, Law & Order, Oz and The Closer.

The Krewe of Bacchus will also mark its 50th anniversary with the introduction of two new super floats. The first Baccha-Kong, merges King Kong (who made his first appearance in 1972), Mama Kong (who came along in 1973), and Baby Kong (who was born in 1982.) The three-unit tandem float will feature high-tech lighting, animation, sound and special effects.

The Kong Family will be joined this year by the new, state-of-the art Bacchaneer – a gigantic, four-section pirate ship. This new signature float will dazzle the crowds with state-of the-art technology, advanced lighting and special effects, including smoke. The designers went all out to make the Baccahaneer look more like something you’d see in the Gulf of Mexico than sailing down St. Charles Avenue.

Learn more about Bacchus.