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A Carnival queen’s reign comes only once in a lifetime, an honor very few can claim.
Being queen of a New Orleans super-crew is graced by far fewer.
But a South Lafourche High graduate, now a University of Louisiana Lafayette belle, is this year’s queen of the Krewe of Endymion, attracting more than a few locals to help support her at Saturday night’s parade.
Hannah Autin, a ULL biology major and south Lafourche native, is Endymion’s 52nd queen. While her Saturday evening’s parade ended up plagued by thunderstorms, they had held off considerably so that the event was only affected during its final leg near the Superdome, where Jason DeRulo and Rod Stewart entertained.
“Hannah is an outstanding young woman in so many ways,” said Nickie Lirette Boudreaux, a Nicholls State University mass communications instructor who also counts the 2015 South Lafourche graduate as a friend. “She is so bright, kind, and genuine, and it was such a pleasure to watch her shine as Queen Endymion LII. Her being queen certainly brings a focus on our bayou culture. It felt like all of Bayou Lafourche was there cheering her on! Hail Queen Hannah!”
The 21-year old junior plans to apply to medical school after she earns a bachelor’s degree. Selected by Endymion’s captain, with approval from its executive board, she says the honor has been a literal dream come true.
“The overall experience was truly amazing,” she said. “My friends in Lafourche were super excited and were able to come watch me out on the parade route.”
It is a parade she knows well, having thrilled to many Endymion parades with her family over the years.
“It’s always a big deal with my family,” she said. “We cook, and we always used to camp out on St. Charles Avenue when I was a little kid.”
The rain that caught the end of the parade, she said, was not a problem for her. And while he didn’t get to meet the after-parade headliners, knowing her bayou crew was on the streets cheering her on was thrill enough.
in addition to the traditional green, gold and purple flowers that festooned the Roosevelt Hotel ballroom at her queen’s party , Hannah added a personal touch, requesting that flowers of yellow be added to the mix.
“It’s my favorite color,” she explained.
The menu had a Hannah touch as well, with French fries added to a menu of more traditional fare like shrimp and grits.
The grand marshal at this year’s parade was Kenner-born composer and musician Jon Batiste, and the theme was “Jazz: Our Gift to the World.”
The Krewe of Endymion’s motto is “Throw ’til it Hurts” and spectators said that’s what it looked like parade riders did.
The expected crowd size was about a million, although numbers may have been down due to weather threats. A total of 3,000 riders threw till it hurt from 37 floats.
Hannah’s father, Shull Autin, has ridden in the Endymion parade for 15 years, and for years had submitted her name in nomination to be queen.
For the queen’s father, president of an offshore supply boat company, Carnival is a lot more than music and merriment.
“It allows people, many who live far away, to see firsthand that people in south Louisiana are fun-loving, God-fearing individuals,” he said.
