RT: Our Carnival Heritage: Krewe of Hermes #carnival2013 #mardigras2013 #parade #nola Created by a group of Orleans businessmen in 1937 to boost the fading parade schedule after the Great Depression, the knights take their name from the Greek mythos of the winged courier of the gods. Featuring flambeaux, Hermes an old-line parade with a modern twist. When Hermes first rolled in the streets of New Orleans, they were the first parade to use neon lighting on their floats. The identity of the King of Hermes is never revealed, but the queen's name is announced on parade day. The Krewe of Hermes is one of eight night parades that still feature flambeaux carriers, and they share this link to the early days of modern Carnival with the krewes of Babylon, Chaos, d'Etat, Ancient Druids, Orpheus, Proteus, and Sparta.