Krewe King & Queen

Twelfth Night Ball kicks off local Mardi Gras celebrations

With Mardi Gras beginning next month, the local krewe is starting the festivities in the San Marcos area — beginning with the Twelfth Night Ball, which The Mistick Krewe of Okeanos held on Jan. 6 at Harper’s Hill Ranch in Seguin. The event was a formal affair with cocktails, dinner, a royal court, debutantes and dancing.

According to the Mistick Krewe of Okeanos website, it is a Mardi Gras Krewe and a nonprofit based in San Marcos. The mission is to support music and the arts in the area and gather community. They have an annual parade on the Saturday before Mardi Gras. The Krewe holds other private events for its members, the ball included. Mistick Krewe is the assumed name for the Texas Council for Music and the Arts, Inc.

Wayne Kraemer, president of the Mistick Krewe of Okeanos board, said the krewe is special, because it’s the only one in San Marcos.

“We’re the only vestige of Carnival, which is not only Louisiana, it’s celebrated all over the world,” Kraemer said. “It’s also special because Okeanos is the God of rivers, so it’s appropriate for San Marcos that we’re the Krewe of Okeanos for the San Marcos River.”

The King and Queen for the night were Kristin and Monte Sheffield, owners of Palmer’s Restaurant. The Sheffields are members of the Heritage Association, and supporters of San Marcos Education Foundation, the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center, the Boy Scouts of America, the Southside Community Center, PAWS and Meals on Wheels. They have been members of the Krewe of Okeanos for seven years.

After the royal court was seated, the debutantes each walked to the front with an escort before doing a dance for the crowd with their escorts and then their fathers.

Of the debutantes, Chloe Corinne Crawford, escorted by Aiden Nolen, is a Senior at San Marcos Academy and has been the cheer captain for the past three years. She has received multiple state team and academic all state team awards as well as recognition as All American by the National Cheerleaders Association.

Marie Feigl, escorted by Sean Feigl, is a member of the Leo Club, National Honor Society and the Student Ambassadors and is a captain of her soccer team.

Kendall Alyse Opiela has been at San Marcos Academy for six years and is a senior. She has been a cheerleader for six years, a student ambassador, a member of the Leo Club, the Girl Scouts, the Secretary of the National Honor Society and a liaison of the San Marcos Youth task Force.

Citlali Itzel Salinas, escorted by C.J. Crauthers, has been a student at San Marcos Academy for four years and served as Junior Class Vice President, co-chair of the prom planning committee, President of the Junior States of America, a member of the Leo Club and the National Honor Society.

Angelina Isabel Vazquez, escorted by Ayo Akoya-Thomas, is a sophomore at San Marcos Academy and has attended the school for seven years. She is an honor roll student, in the National Honor Society, a student ambassador, a member of the Leo Club, in the Junior States of America and was selected as a HOBY Youth Leadership Delegate.

The presentation was followed by dinner and dancing.

If one is interested in celebrating Mardi Gras locally, the Mistick Krewe of Okeanos will be having its 11th annual Mardi Gras parade at noon on Feb 10, 2024. It will go through the downtown historic districts. Go to this link to enter or for more information mardigrassanmarcos. com/parade.