LAPLACE — Krewe du Monde, St. John the Baptist Parish’s largest Mardi Gras parade, returns Sunday bigger and better than ever with approximately 95 marching groups, floats and trucks.

The parade begins at 11 a.m. at Airline Highway and Main St. and ends at Fairway Dr., meandering down W. Fifth Street, Hemlock Drive, Carrollwood Avenue, Greenwood Drive and Madewood Road along the way.

Parade Chairman Lance Bonadona said attendees should arrive to the route about an hour in advance to be safe, though the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office might not block off roads until 15 minutes before the parade starts.

Bonadona asked the community to disregard online information that lists the parade’s start time as 1 p.m., as 11 a.m. is the correct time. He thanked the public and participants for their efforts in keeping the parade route clean.

Themed “zoo animals,” the parade features numerous floats, fire trucks and community marching groups, Bonadona said.

Among the groups is the West St. John High School state championship football team.

The 2018 Royal Court features father and daughter tandem Callen and Carly Hotard as King and Queen du Monde XXXIX; dukes Todd Poirrier, Francis “Bubby” Guidry, Jaret Treas, Kerry Brignac, Steve Noyes, Ken LeBlanc; maids Madisen Amato, Lauren Lovelace, Ali Vicknair, Gabrielle Boesen, Ashlyn Lambert and Kelsey Roussel; and Captain William Millet.

The parade was coordinated by the LaPlace Jaycees from 1974 until about 2006, when it was taken over by the LaPlace Lions Club.

Driven by the local community, Krewe du Monde connects with attendees in ways larger parades cannot, according to King du Monde XXXIX Callen Hotard.

“It’s a great community event,” Hotard said.

“On the parade route, so many people know each other. It’s a little different than when you go into the larger, metropolitan areas where there are a lot of strangers and out-of-towners. It’s fun to see all the familiar faces.”

Hotard said it’s been special to share the experience with his daughter while also forming new friendships.

“For me, it’s just been a real honor to be part of this group and look back at the people who have been able to reign before me,” Hotard said.

“There’s so many events you get to do socially. You meet a lot of people and form friendships that last years after. There are a lot of really good people in Lions Club who have done a lot for the community.”

The Krewe du Monde ball and parade is the LaPlace Lion’s Club biggest fundraiser.

The Lions are highly involved in community service, according to First Vice President William Millet.

He said national Lion’s Club service initiatives involve offering vision screenings to the community and sending young people with disabilities to the Louisiana Lions Crippled Children’s camp in Leesville.

The local organization also supports Twin Oaks Nursing Home, the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Home, Boys and Girls State, St. John Parish Young Marines, the Greater New Orleans Therapeutic Riding Center in LaPlace, St. John Parish Clean Sweeps and much more.

“A lot of community sponsored things have fallen on hard times,” Millet said. “Our efforts are to help those things continue to be great. We invite people to fill out grants for anything deemed worthy in the area.”

Last year’s Krewe du Monde events raised $12,500 for the community. For more information, visit Krewe du Monde or LaPlace Lions Club on Facebook.