The Gay balls required formal attire and the tableaus were a sight to behold. Local matrons would beg for tickets from their hairdresser. Peaking in the early 1980s, there were dozens of Gay krewes that were the highlight of the Carnival season. Taking a deep breath, the Gay community soon reorganized and new Gay Mardi Gras krewes began to flourish. No sooner had the tableau begun with queen and maids expectantly waiting the adoration of the spectators when police cars roared up and the ball was raided. In 1962, the Krewe of Yuga threw its first Ball at a badly chosen sight, a private children's school. The first Gay Mardi Gras krewe was the Krewe of Yuga or 'KY.' This krewe was formed to satirize the straight, aristocratic Mardi Gras traditions in 1958.
The traditions of Gay Mardi Gras came into being in the 1950s. Gay Balls and Carnival Future - Gay Mardi Gras
