ErnieJr's Krewe Page

Official Krewes of Gasparilla

Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla

Founded: 1904.
www.gasparillapiratefest.com
Members: 780. Membership closed. Men.
Description: In 1904, a group of 40 men came together to create a Tampa celebration based on a mock pirate invasion launched by a mythical pirate named Jose Gaspar. Today, the krewe hosts the events known as Gasparilla, manning 11 floats in the Gasparilla parade.

Anna Maria Island Privateers

Founded: 1971.
Members: 40. Membership open. Men/women.
Description: Bedecked in pirate clothing with an authentic bent, the group’s primary mission is to raise money for student scholarships. Its float is a 16th century pirate ship.

Bonney-Read Krewe

Founded: 1994.
www.bonney-readkrewe.com
Members: 45. Membership closed. Female. (Male auxiliary called Grogmasters.)
Description: This krewe, which also is know as Sisters of the Sword, is based on the lives of two female pirates, Anne Bonney and Mary Read, who sailed the Caribbean in the early 1700s, masquerading as men. Its float is a reproduction of Bonney and Read’s ship, The Vanity.

Krewe of Columbus

Founded: 1959.
www.kreweofcolumbus.com
Members: 100. Membership closed. Men/women.
Description: The krewe is named in honor of explorer Christopher Columbus and his patroness, Queen Isabella of Spain. The group’s two floats have nautical themes.

Crewe of Bobbie C. Davis

Founded: 1999.
www.cbcd.org
Members: 106. Open to sailors and sailing enthusiasts. Men/women.
Description: Adopting the motto, “The Sailingest Crewe in the U.S.A.,” this krewe promotes sailing throughout the Tampa Bay area. Davis was the founder of the Davis Islands Yacht Club’s sailing squadron in the 1930s.

top

Crewe of the Hernando de Soto Historical Society

Founded: 1939.
www.desotohq.com
Members. 46. Open, but must be member of the society to be elected to the krewe. Men/women.
Description: An offshoot of the Manatee Countybased historical society, the group seeks to preserve significance of the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto and his landings on the Manatee River in 1539. The float is a replica of the explorer’s ship.

Gaucho Association of Tampa

Founded: 1951.
www.gauchoassn.com
Members: 140. Membership closed. Men.
Description: Named for the legendary South American cowboys, this krewe also escorts members of the royal court of the Latin America Fiesta Association. One of its two floats sports a caricature of a gaucho’s face with moving eyes, eyebrows and a smoking cigar jutting from under a black mustache.

Grand Krewe de Libertalia

Founded: 1991.
www.grandkrewe.com
Members: 140. Membership open. Men/women.
Description: In keeping with its motto, “A Krewe With a Different Point of View,” this group reflects the beliefs of an 18th century sea captain … Captain Mission … who recruited crews of all backgrounds because he felt no group should be oppressed because of color or culture.

Ladies of the Crown

Founded: 1986.
www.ladiesofthecrown.com
Members: 100. Membership closed.Women.
Description: This Tampa-based group meets monthly to network and socialize; indeed, the group considers fun and fellowship its mission. Its float features a large crown.

Latin America Fiesta Association

Founded: 1927.
Members: 80. Membership open; must be recommended by a member. Men/women.
Description: In keeping with its motto … “A Festival Reflects the Spirit and Voice of the Community” … the krewe strives to promote Gasparilla and goodwill. Their float often features a part of the women’s costumes, an elaborate Spanish fan.

top

Knights of the Krewe of Cavaliers

Founded: 1983.
www.kreweofcavaliers.com
Members: 50. Membership open once a year by invitation. Men/women.
Description: This krewe, among the largest private supporters of the Tampa AIDS network, adopted the motto, “Camaraderie, Diversity, Life.” Has a float in the Krewe of Sant’ Yago Illuminated Knight Parade.

Krewe of Agustina de Aragon

Founded: 1997.
www.thekreweofagustina.com
Members: 265. Membership open.Women. (Men’s auxiliary called The Thorns.)
Description: The krewe is named in memory of a young Spanish maiden, Agustina Zaragoza, the heroine during a 1808 assault on Aragon when it was attacked by Napoleon’s army. The krewe’s float resembles an old castle complete with the cannons.

Krewe of Buffalo Soldiers, 9th & 10th Horse Cavalry Association

Founded: 1988.
www.buffalosoldier-fl.com
Members: 42. Membership open to descendants of “buffalo soldiers.”Men/women.
Description: This group honors the memory and efforts of “buffalo soldiers,” U.S. Army regiments of black cavalry and infantry created after the Civil War. Named by Plains Indians out of respect for their fighting skills, the groups were organized in 1866 and deactivated in 1951. This krewe’s float resembles a Western scene.

Krewe of the Caribbean Cowboys

Founded: 1998.
www.caribbean-cowboys.com
Members: 54. Membership open. Men/women.
Description: This krewe patterned its float after an island with a shack tiki bar and lighthouse. The krewe’s logo, an iguana, sits on top of the shack.

Krewe of Chasco

Founded: 1999.
Members: 150. Membership closed. Men/women.
Description: Its motto, “Carry Chasco Beyond Pasco,” is reflected in American Indian-themed costumes. Popular legend maintains the Calusa Indians, a tribe native to west Pasco, named a young queen “Chasco.”

top

Krewe of Fort Brooke

Founded: 1992.
www.kreweoffortbrooke.com
Members: 125. Membership closed. Men/women.
Description: The krewe honors the Army troops based at Fort Brooke, the former Tampa outpost named for Col. George Mercer Brooke. Built where the Tampa Convention Center now stands, the fort was a vital outpost during Indian wars in the early 1800s.

Krewe of Hillsborough

Founded: 1998.
www.kreweofhillsborough.com
Members: 120. Membership open. Men/women.
Description: The krewe seeks to honor William Hill, the Earl of Hillsborough, who named Hillsborough County in 1776 while acting as the British Secretary of State for the Americas. The krewe’s float is reminiscent of one of Hill’s castles.

Krewe of the Knights of Sant’ Yago

Founded: 1972.
www.kreweofsantyago.com
Members: 300. Membership closed. Men.
Description: The krewe draws its name and heritage from the fraternal order of Sant’ Yago, which dates back to ninth century Spain. Floats include a Spanish castle and trolley. The krewe also hosts the Krewe of Sant’ Yago Illuminated Knight Parade through Ybor City in mid-February.

Krewe of Mambi (Sociedad del Mambi)

Founded: 1998.
www.cubanclub.org
Members: 110. Membership open. Men/women.
Description: Mambi were peasant rebels who fought for Cuban independence from Spain in the late 19th century. These freedom fighters included regiments from Ybor City and West Tampa. Today, the group’s mission is to maintain Ybor’s Cuban Club.

Krewe of Pair O’Dice

Founded: 1995.
www.pairodice.org
Members: 100. Membership closed. Men/women.
Description: A whimsical krewe whose float is a double-decker riverboat and whose motto is “Life’s a Gamble, Roll With It.”

top

Krewe of Pandora

Founded: 1999.
www.kreweofpandora.com
Members: 125. Membership closed. Will reopen in May 2004.Women.
Description: The krewe chose the Greek goddess because she symbolized hope and womanhood. The krewe’s motto is “Making Hope a Reality.”

Krewe of Shamrock

Founded: 1999.
www.kreweofshamrock.com
Members: 100. Membership closed. Men/women.
Description: The motto of this krewe with a Celtic theme is “Fun for All, All for Fun.” Krewe members built their float themselves … in the shape of a 16th century Scottish castle.

Krewe of Venus

Founded: 1965. www.kreweofvenus.com
Members: 130. Membership by invitation. Men/women.
Description: Named for the Roman goddess of love and beauty, the krewe’s motto is “Where Enduring Friendships Begin.” It operates three floats, including one that carries its royal court.

Krewe of Ybor

Founded: 1999.
www.kreweofybor.com
Members: 100. Closed. Men/women/children.
Description: A family-oriented group, this krewe is dedicated to preserving the history and cultural significance of Ybor City, which was designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1990. Its float is an old brick building similar to those in Ybor.

Krewe of Zingaro

Founded: 1996.
www.zingaro.org
Members: 100. Membership open, if sponsored by a member. Men/women.
Description: Zingaro means “gypsy” in Italian, so this krewe’s float is a purple gypsy wagon (affectionately known as “Barney”).

top

Rough Riders

Founded: 1978.
www.tampa-roughriders.org
Members: 538. Membership closed. Men/women.
Description: This krewe, with a mission “to maintain the memory of Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders,” rides in the Gasparilla parade in an 1890s train and coal car, a trolley car, a World War II jeep and a replica of the Yucatan, the ship that took the Rough Riders to Cuba to fight in the Spanish-American War.

Royal Order of the Ponce de Leon Conquistadors of Charlotte County

Founded: 1970.
Members: 70. Membership open. Men.
Description: Based in Charlotte County and formed to honor the county’s Spanish heritage, this krewe designed its float in the shape of a 50-foot galleon with a cannon.

Thee Royal Krewe of Lady Killigrew

Founded: 2001.
www.ladykilligrew.com
Members: 53. Membership closed, invitation only. Women. (Men’s auxiliary called Thee Lords of Killigrew.)
Description: The krewe is named for Lady Mary Killigrew, an English pirate who plundered the seas during the 1500s while a member of the court of Queen Elizabeth I. The float is a ship patterned after a royal ship of the 1500s.

Thieves of San Lorenzo

Founded: 1997.
www.thievesofsanlorenzo.com
Members: 65. Membership by invitation. Women.
Description: The krewe’s motto, “We’ll Steal Your Heart,” reflects the history of their namesake island … during the 16th century, women from the Caribbean island of San Lorenzo turned the tables on pillaging pirates. Its float is a ship surrounded by waves and sharks.

Unsinkable Krewe of Molly Brown

Founded: 2000.
www.kreweofmollybrown.com
Members: 69. Membership closed. Men/women.
Description: Embodying “the indomitable spirit of the Unsinkable Molly Brown,” the Titanic’s most famous survivor, this krewe’s float depicts the sinking of the Titanic. And what pulls it? An iceberg.

top

Ye Loyal Krewe of Grace O’Malley

Founded: 1992. www.kreweofgrace.com
Members: 250. Membership closed; lottery used to replace retiring members. Men/women.
Description: This krewe’s theme is based on the female Irish pirate, Grace O’Malley, who went to sea as a trader and seafarer during the 1500s. A contemporary of Queen Elizabeth I, she sailed under a flag emblazoned with a sea horse; consequently, the krewe’s float is decorated with sea horses.

Ye Loyal Krewe of Samuel Bellamy

Founded: 2000.
www.samuelbellamy.com
Members: 80. Membership open. Men/women.
Description: Samuel Bellamy was an 18th century pirate from Devon, England, who was known to be generous to his victims … hence his nickname, “The Prince of Pirates.” The krewe’s floats are a pair of black and gold pirate ships.

Ye Mystic AirKrewe

Founded: 1994.
Members: 36. Membership open to aviation enthusiasts and pilots. Men/women.
Description: Ye Mystic AirKrewe, the Gasparilla Air Force, flies in the skies above Tampa Bay over the invasion flotilla and the Gasparilla parade.

Ye Mystic Krewe of Neptune

Founded: 1980.
www.ymkn.org
Members: 100. Membership closed. Men/women.
Description: Fashioned after the fun-seeking krewes of New Orleans, this krewe, founded by Pinellas County businessmen, in jest adopted the motto, “We Never Have Any Fun.” Its doubledeck float is patterned after the Lost City of Atlantis.

Ye Royal Krewe of Charlotte De Berry

Founded: 2000.
www.charlottedeberry.org
Members: 69. Membership open.Women.
Description: The krewe is named after Charlotte De Berry, who disguised herself as a man to join the English navy with her husband. Charlotte was abducted onto a ship headed for Africa and attacked by the captain. She led a mutiny, beheaded the captain and led the crew into piracy.

top

Ye Mystic Krewe of the Santa Margarita

Founded: 2002.
www.kreweofsantamargarita.com
Members: 90. Membership: open. Men/women/Families.
Description: Clearwater’s official krewe, named for a Spanish galleon that sank off the coast of Key West in 1622. The krewe’s float is a recreation of the Santa Margarita.

Krewe of the Knights of St. John

Founded: 2002.
http://fireman992.tripod.com/Krewe%20Site.htm
Members: 140. Membership: closed (opened each March) Men/women.
Description: The krewe is made up of Hillsborough County fire/rescue personnel and support local charities, including Joshua House and orphanages. Their float has a fire department theme with flashing lights and fire hydrants.

Krewe of Alegria

Founded: 1986.
www.kreweofalegria.com
Members: 60 (Capped at 75). Membership: open by invitation. Women.
Description: The mission of this culturally diverse krewe is to provide shoes for children in need in the Bay area through “Kickin’ For Kids.”

Ye Krewe of Sir Henry Morgan, Admiral of the Brethren of the Coast

Founded: 2002.
www.henrymorgankrewe.com
Members: 80. Membership: closed. Men/women.
Description: Named for the legendary captain, Sir Henry Morgan, the krewe wears authentic pirate costumes from the period of Sir Henry Morgan, circa 1650. The krewe’s float is a pirate cantina called Port Royal, after Sir Henry Morgan’s Jamaican base.

Ye Noble Krewe of Famhair

Founded: 2000.
www.piratekrewe.com
Members: 50-plus. Membership: Men/women.
Description: “Famhair” is Gaelic for pirate and the krewe was formed to celebrate family heritage, participate in local parades and give back to the community. The focal charity for the Krewe of Famhair is the Arthritis Foundation. The krewe motto is “Honor, Brotherhood and Excellence.”

top