Who founded the Krewe of Endymion?

Edmond J. Muniz founded the Krewe of Endymion. He organized the New Orleans Carnival krewe in 1966, and he remained its captain and chairman until his death in 2023.

Endymion was named for Endymion, a figure from Greek mythology associated with eternal youth and a legendary love story. Muniz’s organization grew from a neighborhood krewe into one of New Orleans’ three super krewes, known for enormous floats, celebrity monarchs, and a large membership.

The krewe’s parade traditionally rolls on the Saturday before Mardi Gras. Its route and scale make it one of the season’s signature spectacles, while the post-parade Extravaganza has been held in large venues including the Louisiana Superdome. That combination can lead people to confuse Muniz with entertainers connected to the parade, such as Harry Connick Jr., who is associated with the Krewe of Orpheus rather than Endymion.

Blaine Kern is another common mix-up because Kern Studios builds many famous New Orleans parade floats, but he was not Endymion’s founder.