LAPLACE — Krewe du Monde, the largest Mardi Gras parade in the River Parishes, will hold its first interest meeting for the 2016 parade at 6 p.m. Aug. 12 at the St. John Parish Central Library, located at 2920 U.S. 51 in LaPlace.

Heralded as a parade with a purpose, the du Monde parade is a fundraiser for the local chapter of the Lion’s Club. The club is actively involved in the community, serving through charity work that includes the support of sight programs and services including vision screenings, eye banks and eyeglass recycling.

Parade Coordinator Melynie Wright said anyone or any group interested in participating in the 2016 parade, which will roll Feb. 6, is encouraged to attend the first informational meeting to learn about participation, associated fees and deadlines.

The Aug. 12 offering is the first in a series, Wright said, and meetings will also be held Sept. 2, Oct. 7 and Dec. 2.

All meetings will be held at 6 p.m. at the LaPlace library.