Lisa Condrey-Ward, owner of the Southern Hotel in downtown Covington, was named Grand Marshal for the second annual Krewe of Bogue Falaya Parade to be held on Mardi Gras Day in 2025. The honor was announced at a special gathering at the hotel Tuesday evening.
Krewe Captain Larry Rolling introduced her to the crowd of more than 100 people at the special event. He commended her for making Covington a better place with an even greater future. A lifetime resident of Louisiana, she and her family moved to Covington in 1998, and she was involved in a successful law practice. She has been a past president of the Keep Covington Beautiful organization and the La. Trust For Historic Preservation. She is also active in the Covington Public Art Fund.
She thanked the group for the honor and praised the Krewe for growing so fast and providing Covington with an outstanding Mardi Gras Day parade.
"My favorite old photograph of Covington shows the king of Carnival arriving by boat in 1911," she told those in attendance. Local citizens of 100 years ago were proud of their celebration of Mardi Gras, she went on to say. Last year the Krewe revived that tradition of the arrival by boat, followed by a second line parade to the Southern Hotel.
She commended the residents of Covington for continuing to weave a strong tapestry of community forward into the future. "I think Mardi Gras Day is the time for us to celebrate what we are doing for this city, and I am going to have so much fun."
Parish President Mike Cooper welcomed those present, telling how several years ago, he had asked Larry Rolling to set about getting a new Carnival krewe for Covington on Mardi Gras Day. The Krewe of Bogue Falaya was the result, a group which now has 600 members.
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