By KERI CHAMPION

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE- LaPlace’s own Krewe du Monde is set to roll again through the city streets on Sunday, February 18 at 12 noon. The court will present LaPlace residents with a dazzling array of color in their festive attire, and a famous display of fun and freedom.

There will be about 40 floats and many performers participating in the parade. Approximately one dozen dance groups will perform along with East St. John and West St. John High School bands, and a number of parish queens will ride with the parade.

The reigning royalty of Krewe du Monde for Carnival 2007 is King Don Mince, who is employed with St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office. His queen is Danielle Palmisano.

&#8220This is the 28th year for the court of the Krewe du Monde. The krewe began when a group of Jaycees, who were former captains and kings, disbanded in 1993 and took over the parade route. The parade originally began in 1974.

Mince had been the parade chairman for many years before being elected king of the 2007 parade.

Reigning court members are Duke Bienville, Rusty Gaudet and his maid Jenna Gaudet; Duke Andrew Jackson, Mike Hanley and his maid Sarah Stell; Duke John J. Audobon, Chris Metcalf and his maid Kelsey Tatje; and Duke Napoleon Bonaparte, Wilson Smith and his maid Amber St. Amant.

This year, the parade will begin at the intersection of Hwy. 61 and Main Street and embark upon a 4.5 mile trek through the city.

Upon leaving the intersection of Hwy 61 and Main, the parade will travel westward on Main, and then turn north on West Fifth Street approaching Hemlock. The route will take the parade up Hemlock and cross over Hwy. 61 again, to Carrollwood Drive.

The last leg of the parade will see colorful floats and lively performers turning from Carrollwood to Greenwood Drive. Traveling down Greenwood, the parade will change direction again to go up Madewood and then make its way to Fairway Boulevard before concluding the journey at the intersection of Fairway and Belle Terre.

The parade is organized and run by the LaPlace Lions Club.

Also on Feb. 18, the Krewe Des Allemands will hold its annual parade in St. Charles Parish at 2 p.m. The parade will have 20 floats and was re-organized in 1994 by citizens of Des Allemands, after the Lions Club and American Legion could no longer afford to fund the parade.

King and Queen for Krewe Des Allemands are Herman &#8220Jap” and Linda Kelone of Des Allemands. Grand Marshal is Emily Naquin. The parade has been a Des Allemands annual event for nearly 50 years.

The route will begin on Whitley Drive (old Hwy. 90) and turn right onto Hwy. 90, then to LA 631 and continue through the city. The procession will then turn right onto Dejean Street, another right on Old Spanish Trail, to Old Road, Lorraine Drive, and conclude back on Hwy 90.