The Krewe of Bowlegs will unmask Capt. Billy Bowlegs 71 on June 13 at the annual coronation pageant, capping the reign of Capt. Rique Gwin and welcoming a new captain and top 26 krewe for the year ahead.
- The pageant begins at 6 p.m. at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center at Northwest Florida State College and is open to the public.
Ahead of every coronation, the krewe releases a masked photo of the incoming captain a week or two before the unveiling. The tradition dates back to the 1960s and ’70s with the local newspaper and is meant to give the community a small taste of the year ahead, including the captain’s colors and a hint of the new logo, without giving away who is behind the mask.
This year’s theme is “Whiskey In, Wisdom Out,” a nod to the bourbon-drinking tradition shared by many members of the krewe.
The coronation pageant is a two-act event. The first act says farewell to Capt. Rique Gwin and his top 26 krewe, who carried the Air Raiders theme through the year with an Air Force-inspired twist on the krewe’s pirate tradition. The second act introduces the new captain, queen, first mate and mistress, honor guard couples and children of the court.
- While the pageant is open to anyone, it is typically attended by krewe members, family, friends, local officials and visiting dignitaries from partner organizations the krewe travels with throughout the year, including DeSoto from Bradenton, Springtime Tallahassee and the Vulcans from Minnesota.
The unveiling follows a strong Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival weekend that drew an estimated 2,500 people downtown both Friday and Saturday nights and earned the krewe national airtime when about 80 members appeared on Fox & Friends from Fudpuckers in Destin.
“This festival has always been focused on locals,” the incoming captain said. “We love the tourists that come and take part, but it’s really a local tradition, and we want locals to be involved.”
The new captain officially takes the reins at the krewe’s annual meeting in early July and will lead the organization through a full slate of out-of-town parades, civic events and community appearances before next year’s festival.
