Each year, during the run-up to Carnival season, Mardi Gras krewes appoint “royal courts” (usually a king, a queen, and lots of dukes and duchesses) and announce their appointments with a royalty photograph. For their 2020 Mardi Gras season, Shreveport-Bossier’s incredible Krewe of Barkus and Meoux decided to release their first-ever royalty photograph…and it is a doozy.

Photographer Linda White, owner of Unleashed Petography, created the adorable photo of this most unusual royal court.

“When I was asked to do royalty photos for The Krewe of Barkus and Meoux, this is exactly what I envisioned with the focus being on the animals,” White told me. “Could I do it with 8 dogs and a pig? I wasn’t sure, but I had faith in the animals.”

You can click through an album of the entire photo shoot here:

This year’s Krewe of Barkus and Meoux Pet Parade will be held on the afternoon of Sunday, Feb. 9 at 2000 Reeves Marine Drive in Bossier City. The theme of this year’s pet parade, which is expected to draw about 15,000 participants and parade-goers, is “Woofstock 21: A Meowsic Festival.”

Anyone wishing to sign-up a pet for the parade may do so using a form on their website or by arriving at the parade site for on-site registration beginning at 12 p.m. The cost to register pets is $20 for a single pet or $35 for two, with all proceeds benefiting local animal shelters and other organizations that help connect animals with loving homes. Admission to the parade is by donation. The parade will begin around 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.

RSVP to the official Facebook event for the Krewe of Barkus and Meoux Pet Parade.

“One of the things that I think is so neat this year is that one of our princes is actually a pig,” said Parade Chairperson Ronda Rivers. “His name is Oreo. Prince Oreo!”

Prince Oreo was apparently feeling a little shy during his Mardi Gras photo shoot with Unleashed Petography. We can still see you, Oreo.

There are lots of exciting developments surrounding the 2020 Krewe of Barkus and Meoux Pet Parade, including an appearance by the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, a street rod car show, lots of vendors, and more. Recently, we caught up with Krewe of Barkus and Meoux organizers for a 10-minute chat on Facebook Live. Watch it below to get complete details of this one-of-a-kind event.


To support the great work of the Krewe of Barkus and Meoux, join the krewe or make a donation at the parade. For more information on upcoming Mardi Gras festivities in Shreveport-Bossier, visit www.ShreveportMardiGras.com or download or view the 2020 edition of the Gris Gris Guide to Mardi Gras in Shreveport-Bossier. If you live outside of Shreveport-Bossier, and would like a printed copy of our Mardi Gras guide mailed to your home, you can request a free copy by mail here.

Thank you to Unleashed Petography for allowing us to publish these adorable photos.

20×49.com is a publication of the The Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau.